Time has come for universal free school meals

Commenting on proposals made to the Labour Party by trade unions to provide all primary school children with free school meals, Paul Dornan, Child Poverty Action Group’s Head of Policy said:

“Where free school meals for all have been tried, they are a great success. Children who sit down every day to a good quality meal together are healthier, happier, learn better and socialise better.

“This would be good news for all children, especially low income families facing rising prices who would save £300 per child on the costs of paying for school meals or pack lunches.

“The current national approach of limited targeting to the poorest has failed to reach all those children who need it. Free school meals for all leaves no child behind and no child too hungry to learn.

“Every politician who has promised voters to improve school behaviour, improve school results, support teachers, support parents and end child poverty must now sign up.”

Notes for editors

• Families currently only qualify for free school meals if they are receiving Income Support, income-based Job Seekers Allowance, or Child Tax Credit with a taxable income below £15,575. A significant proportion of the 3.9 million British children living below the poverty line do not currently qualify, despite the financial hardship they face. Of those who are entitled, one in five do not take it up due largely to the complex bureaucracy of claiming and stigma associated with the current limited access to free school meals.
• Research from a pilot project providing free school meals to all primary pupils in Hull found that it resulted in better eating habits outside of school, calmer classrooms, reduced health disadvantage and savings for stretched family budgets. A report on the findings of the Hull pilot can be found here: www.hull.ac.uk/ifl-research/finalreport.pdf
• CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
• CPAG is one of over 100 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

For further information please contact:
Tim Nichols
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
tnichols@cpag.org.uk