Children in poverty still missing out on free school meals, study suggests

One in five children in poverty in Scotland are still not eligible for a free school lunch, according to new research by a children’s charity.

The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has said while Scotland once led the way in the UK in expanding provision of meals to children in poverty, it has now fallen behind Wales, although it is still far ahead of England.

In Scotland the number of children in poverty not receiving a free school lunch is around 25,000, compared to around 20,000 in Wales and around 15,000 in Northern Ireland, according to the group’s analysis.

In England the number is highest, with around 900,000 not being eligible for a free school lunch under existing policy.

CPAG is calling on all governments to review their eligibility schemes, while in Scotland it is asking First Minister John Swinney to recommit to rolling out free meals for all primary school age children.

In Scotland every child in P1-P5 receives a free lunch but the government recently halted plans to expand universal provision to every child in P6 and P7.

John Dickie, the director of CPAG in Scotland, said: “This new analysis from CPAG is a stark reminder of just how important John Swinney’s promise of free school meals for all primary school pupils in Scotland was.

“With so many children in poverty missing out, young people themselves telling us what a priority free school meals are, and the Scottish Parliament unanimous in its support, the First Minister must surely now reinstate the delivery of free school meals for all primary school pupils.”

Kate Anstey, head of UK education policy at Child Poverty Action Group, said: “The provision of free school meals greatly depends on where you live in the UK but none of the nations are managing to get a free meal in the middle of the day to every child in poverty.

“That fails some of the children who would benefit the most.

“The UK Government and devolved governments must change the qualifying criteria so that every child that needs a school lunch has one, while working towards removing means-testing entirely from the lunch hall.

“School food and its benefits must be available to children in a way that’s reliable, not random.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Ministers have consistently warned of the significance of the financial challenges, due to prolonged Westminster austerity, the cost of living crisis and record high inflation – which has placed enormous and growing pressure on the public finances.

“That means that, whilst we remain resolutely committed to the universal expansion of free school meals in primary schools, the funding is not available for this to be completed by 2026.

“Our immediate focus is now to expand provision further to those in Primary 6 and 7 in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, which we will deliver in this parliamentary term.

“We continue to make free school meals available for nearly 278,000 pupils in primaries 1 to 5 and special schools, and to those eligible in P6 to S6 saving around £400 per child per year.”

The UK has been approached for comment.