Free school meals play a vital role in supporting millions of families in England, ensuring that the most disadvantaged children have access to a nutritious meal on a daily basis. However, concerns have been raised by charities regarding the effectiveness of the current scheme in addressing the challenges faced by vulnerable children amidst the rising cost of living.
The Food Foundation estimates that approximately 800,000 children in poverty do not qualify for free school meals and in response to these concerns, campaigners, politicians, and charities are urging the government to expand the provision of free meals to all primary school children in England.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), extending free school meals to all primary state school pupils in England would cost an additional £1 billion a year in the longer term, and offering free meals to all primary and secondary pupils (up to Year 11) would cost an extra £2.5bn a year.
To help you understand the intricacies of the program, we have compiled a comprehensive overview of free school meals, including the eligibility criteria.
Eligibility for Free School Meals
Eligibility for free school meals in England depends on the child’s age and household income. Your child may qualify if you are currently receiving any of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker’s allowance
- The guaranteed element of pension credit
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Working tax credit run-on (paid for four weeks after ceasing employment)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child tax credit, provided you are not also receiving working tax credit and your annual income does not exceed £16,190 (£17,005 in Scotland). In Scotland, you can receive free meals if you receive both child tax credit and working tax credit, but your earnings must not exceed £7,920.
- Universal credit, granted that you applied since April 2018 and your income is less than £7,400 per year (after tax and excluding benefits). There is no income threshold if you applied for universal credit before April 2018.
Children who receive any of these benefits in their own right, and are aged between 16 and 18, are also eligible for free school meals.
Universal Free School Meals
Younger children in England, specifically those in reception, year one, and year two, are entitled to receive free school meals, regardless of their parent’s income. This initiative, known as the universal infant free school meals scheme, ensure that these children receive a free lunch and, in some cases, milk as well.
Pupil Premium
Schools also receive additional funding, known as pupil premium, for each child eligible for ‘means-tested’ free school meals. This funding can be used for various activities such as booster classes, educational trips, and after-school clubs. It is important to note that the additional pupil premium does not apply to those children receiving universal free school meals.
How many children receive free school meals?
According to the latest government figures, over two million children in England qualify for free school meals, representing 23.8% of state school pupils. The demand for free meals is highest in the northeast, where approximately 30.4% of children are eligible, compared to 18.8% in the South East.
What does it cost each day to fund free school meals?
The cost of each free school meal to the government is approximately £2.41, as per the current funding rate. This means that the government spends a maximum of £4.5 million on free school meals in England every school day.
Based on an average school year of 195 days, the government’s expenditure on free meals could reach approximately £877.5 million annually.
If the government were to expand free school meals to all primary state school pupils in England, it would cost an estimated additional £1 billion per year. Offering free meals to all primary and secondary pupils up to Year 11 would require an extra £2.5 billion per year.
