Going Hungry - Free school meals

Going Hungry, Young people’s experiences of Free School Meals is a report this week by the British Youth Council and Child Poverty Action Group. It found that many students who should receive free meals are not given enough credit to cover a full meal, while some children living in poverty are not eligible for free school meals because of the complex system governing eligibility.

A survey of 1,026 young people and focus groups with young people from Calcot, Gateshead, Redbridge and North East Lincolnshire found that overwhelmingly, young people feel that all children from low-income families should receive free school meals.

Around 65 per cent agreed with the statement that “students from low income families” should receive the allowance compared to 11 per cent who said “students from out-of-work families”.

Currently pupils receive free school meals if their parents receive income support; income-based jobseeker’s allowance; income-related employment and support allowance; support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;  the guaranteed element of state pension credit, or child tax credit if their annual income does not exceed £16,190.

Source: Children and Young People Now magazine