Secondary school attendance survey: lack of money keeping children off school

Findings show heavy toll of poverty on children’s school attendance and mental health

A large-scale survey of secondary school children shows those on low incomes are missing school because they can’t afford what they need to attend.

The survey of 1,701 11-18-year-olds living in the UK found:

16% have missed school at least once because they didn’t have something they needed to attend. This number increases to more than one in four (26%) for children who qualify for means-tested free school meals (FSM).
Almost half (47%) of young people who missed school because they didn’t have what they needed said they did not have the correct uniform or kit. Across all secondary school pupils, those in receipt of free school meals were more than three times as likely to give this reason for missing school than their peers.
Children in receipt of FSM were twice as likely to be sent home from school for not having the right uniform or kit as those not eligible for FSM (8% compared to 3% of all pupils). One in 10 FSM-eligible pupils also said they had been taken out of class or prevented from taking part in activities such as school trips because they lacked the correct clothing. Sixty two per cent of secondary school children say their school uniform is expensive.
23% who didn’t have what they needed said they didn’t have money to pay for school meals, while 20% said difficulty affording a packed lunch had kept them off.
Over one in five (21 per cent) of young people in receipt of free school meals have missed school because of mental health challenges (e.g. feeling anxious or depressed) compared to just 17% in families who aren’t eligible for free school meals.
Over a quarter of young people (26%) who missed school because they didn’t have what they needed said they couldn’t afford transport to get to school. Children in receipt of free school meals were more likely to say it was difficult to afford getting to and from school compared to their peers (15 per cent compared to 9 per cent).
More than a quarter (27%) of all children who missed school because they didn’t have what they needed said lack of money for going on trips meant they sometimes didn’t attend school.
16 per cent of all pupils reported that costs or worries about the cost of some subjects prevented them from choosing a subject to study.

Commenting on the research, Kate Anstey, head of education at Child Poverty Action Group, said:

Children in poverty aren’t getting the real deal at school because they don’t have money to participate – or even get to the school gates. From not being able to afford meals or uniform to poor mental health, lack of money at home means young people are missing school – effectively priced out of the system. Government must do more to support living standards for families so kids aren’t locked out of learning – including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding eligibility for free school meals.

CPAG carries out research in schools on the cost-barriers to learning. Young people and school staff have told researchers:

'We sometimes receive calls to the school to say a certain pupil can’t come in today because they maybe only have one uniform and that’s in the washing and it’s not dry so they’ll be off today.' (Office staff member, secondary school, Scotland)

'All the trips are too expensive and a lot of parents can't afford them even when they work, especially if they have more than one child attending school.' (Secondary Student, England)

'I miss [out on] enrichment week and trips it's too much [money].' (Secondary student, England)

'I sometimes have to buy my friends their food because they don't have any money in their accounts.' (Secondary student, Wales)

'You don't eat! If you go to the till yeah and then you ask them to put it through and they see you are minus then they ask you to put it back or they'll take it from you and put it back themselves.' (Secondary student, England)

'A lot of people lose confidence over their financial problems...they're embarrassed about how they're poor, they tend to be quieter.' (Secondary pupil, England)

Notes to editors:

CPAG’s report on the survey is Priced out of school

The survey, carried out by Survation, is a nationally representative survey of 1,701 state secondary school students aged 11-18 living in the UK. It was carried out between 17 April – 1 May 2025.

Freezes to the generosity and scope of schemes to help families with school-related costs mean many have been losing value in real-terms over recent years.

Uniform:

More than two-thirds (68 per cent) of secondary pupils in the UK attend schools that still require branded uniform, although this varies across the nations. 16% of all pupils say they their school requires them to have five or more branded items. In England, the government is bringing in legislation to restrict the number of branded items to three in secondary schools or four if one item is a tie.

CPAG’s previous research into the cost of sending children to school shows that families now face paying almost £450 a year for basic secondary school uniform, bags and PE kit.

Transport:

CPAG’s research into the minimum cost of education found families in 2024 face paying around £390 a year for a young person to get to and from secondary school. https://cpag.org.uk/news/minimum-cost-education-uk

Food at school:

Overly restrictive and outdated qualifying criteria for FSM leaves many children in poverty across the UK ineligible for this entitlement. In England and Wales in secondary schools, families in receipt of universal credit must have earnings below £7,400 a year (after tax) to qualify. In Scotland, earnings must be £850 or less a month (after tax) and in Northern Ireland earnings must be £15,000 or less (after tax) to qualify. https://cpag.org.uk/news/number-children-poverty-not-eligible-free-school-meals-nation-and-region In England, CPAG estimates 900,000 children live in poverty but do not qualify for a free school meal.

CPAG’s new report on its survey calls for a range of changes from UK government including:

Abolish the two-child limit and the benefit cap in its forthcoming UK child poverty strategy, set clear child poverty-reduction targets and co-ordinate a cross-government approach to increasing family incomes in the longer term.

Expand free school meals to more families in England, working towards a universal system, as well as automatically enrolling those children who are already eligible.

Provide families in England with cash support to help with the cost of uniform and kit, as happens in all other UK nations.

Headteachers may be available for interview. CPAG media contact: Jane Ahrends 07816 909302