And schools in England are increasingly feeling the pinch of providing free school meals. To fit the budget, they are providing less food on the plate and less choice of meats. Clare Morton, a passionate school caterer, has the odds stacked against her. Now she spends £45,000 each year of her own money to top up the government’s provision of free meals. The current government rate for primary schools is £2.61 per meal for the 2025-26 academic year. Morton contends that this figure is totally inadequate just to maintain pace with skyrocketing costs.
In London, the government provides a slightly richer rate of £3 per meal, and Wales £3.20. Despite these numbers, Morton’s district still has a $35 million funding gap. Currently, 72 parents contribute financially to help cover the cost of their children’s meals, illustrating the strain on families and schools alike.
The reality is that the government has raised meal funding by just 3p in recent times. Morton is deeply critical of this move, claiming it “really isn’t enough” to address the school’s £45,000 shortfall. Michael Hales, the new chair of LACA (the Local Authority Caterers Association) is of similar mind. He highlights how schools are under increasing pressure to fill the void between inadequate federal funding and the growing expenses associated with serving healthy meals.
A recent survey of LACA members found that delivering a school meal costs an average of £3.45. This is around 80p more than the average schools are receiving from the existing free school meals scheme. This gap leads to broader questions about the ability to sustainably provide enough nutrition for students to thrive.
We welcomed the government’s move to change the eligibility criteria to widen access to free school meals. This new proposed rule won’t be implemented until September 2026. Families on Universal Credit are now able to be eligible for free meals, regardless of their net household income. This is an important change that would help another 500,000 kids. It’s a welcome development, although Morton calls it “fantastic.” Of course, this is not enough. She points out that more government investment into meal programs is essential.
In Scotland, every child during their first five years of primary school get free school meals – no means testing required. This benefit is available to children in households in receipt of the new Scottish Child Payment. Like in the rest of the UK, in Northern Ireland, parents can claim free meals when they’re receiving certain benefits. They have to keep their income under £15,000.
London and Wales have both seen the trend of universal free school meals recently adopted. Now, all primary school children up to Year 6 can claim this big advantage! With costs skyrocketing, schools must make every penny count to serve healthy meals. They can’t just expect parents to pony up with no plan to ensure it happens.
Clare Morton shares her insights on the effects of poor nutrition on children’s future.
“For a lot of our children, this is the only hot meal that they will get during the day.” – Clare Morton
Mandy Mazliah, a representative from LACA, advocates for more comprehensive investment in school meal programs and emphasizes the necessity of a holistic approach to school food:
“Without healthy food, without a full tummy, these children won’t be able to learn.” – Clare Morton
These are incredibly tough times for all schools. Robust government investment and assistance will be key to making sure all kids have access to nutritious and adequate meals throughout the school day. We know how crucial proper nutrition is—not just in fueling students’ bodies, but in fostering their minds, too.
“What we need is proper investment from the government in healthy school meals, and in fact a whole school food approach to make it more affordable for schools to provide nutritious, appealing, healthy food for all of our children.” – Mandy Mazliah
As schools continue to navigate these challenges, it is evident that increased funding and support from the government will be crucial in ensuring that all children have access to healthy and sufficient meals during the school day. The importance of proper nutrition cannot be overstated as it directly impacts students’ learning and overall well-being.
