Feed the Future campaign

There’s strong evidence to show that nutritious Free School Meals make children healthier, happier, and help them perform better at school.  

They support families with the rising cost of living, help pupils engage in learning, enhance academic performance, and improve nutrition – shoring up the diets of children from low-income households. 

But lunch continues to be the only part of the school day that is means-tested. 

Currently, provision of free school meals in England s falling behind Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. A restrictive earnings threshold of £7400 per year (not including benefits, after tax), means that 900,000 children living in poverty are missing out on a free school meal. This threshold has not increased since 2018. 

WATCH OUR CAMPAIGN STUNT AT WESTMINSTER

Eligibility is much lower than is commonly believed by the public. The majority of the public (71%) think the current income threshold is inadequate or should not exist at all. 

However, here in in England there is a very restrictive threshold meaning that only children from families with a household less than £7,400 (before benefits, after tax) can receive a Free School Meal.

This is why we we're calling for the Government to extend Free School Meals to more children.

Expanding eligibility for a free school meal to all schoolchildren, with a first step of targeting children in households on Universal Credit, would be an effective way to make school food fairer, while supporting families struggling with a huge rise in the cost of living immediately. 

Ultimately all children, regardless of background, must be provided with a good quality free school meal.  

Learn more by reading our Superpowers of Free School Meals Evidence Pack.