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MP Briefing
Nourishing the Nation: Why the Government must extend Free School Meals
28/03/2024
Free School Meals ensure children are guaranteed at least one hot, healthy meal a day. There is strong evidence this improves children's health as well as academic performance and future economic prosperity.
But the restrictively low household income threshold of £7,400 means there are currently 900,000 children living in poverty in England who are not eligible for a free school meal.
This briefing sets out the economic case for extending free school meals and the level of support for such a policy among voters.