Northern Ireland Department of Education Proposes Universal Free School Meals

All school pupils in Northern Ireland could be eligible to receive a free school meal, according to plans released by the Department of Education (DE). However, providing a free dinner for every school child could incur an annual cost exceeding £200m. Offering a free meal solely to primary school children or only to younger children would be less expensive. The department has published a consultation document on free meals and uniform grants, which includes these financial figures. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently implemented a free lunch program for every pupil in the city’s state primary schools. In Wales, all primary school children automatically receive a free school meal, but eligible secondary pupils are still required to apply. In September, the Scottish government withdrew its commitment to extend free school meals to all primary school pupils. The Department of Education in Northern Ireland had previously abolished a grant designed to help parents cover food costs during school holidays. Education Minister Paul Givan is currently reviewing the eligibility criteria for both free school meals and school uniform grants. Uniform grants are presently £42.90 for a primary school pupil and a maximum of £93.60 for a post-primary pupil. His department is also examining whether a price cap should be introduced for school uniforms across Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland, families qualify for free school meals and a uniform grant if they receive universal credit and their household income, after tax, is up to £15,000 per year. Families receiving other benefits, such as income support, jobseeker’s allowance, or employment and support allowance, are also expected to be eligible. Approximately 94,000 pupils, which constitutes over a quarter of the school population, are currently entitled to free school meals. Givan is investigating if more young people could become entitled to free meals and uniform grants, and what the financial implications would be for his department. Among the options the department has considered are providing a free meal to every child up to and including primary three, up to primary seven, or to every child in both primary and post-primary school. According to the department, free school meals could enhance a child’s “ability to concentrate and learn in school based on them having a nutritionally balanced lunch and establishing positive eating habits”. The annual cost of providing universal free school meals to all pupils up to primary three would be approximately £46m, while extending it to all pupils up to primary seven would cost £103m per year. To provide a free meal to all school pupils, regardless of income, would cost £202m annually. The department has also explored raising the household income threshold for families to qualify for free meals or a uniform grant to £20,000. However, its consultation on the plans indicated that there were “very severe pressures on the education budget”. It further stated, “An increase in the number of pupils able to access a free school meal would not be affordable from within the current education budget and would require additional funding if any changes are to be implemented.” The number of children living in poverty in Northern Ireland has risen in recent years. The Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recently described the Department for Communities’ management of the Child Poverty Strategy as a “catalogue of failures,” asserting that it does not prioritize children and families. The consultation regarding free school meals and uniform grants is open until 14 February 2025.