Free school meals 'generate £90m a year of benefits'

Currently, all children in the first three years of school receive a free lunch. The scheme was introduced in September 2014. Department for Education figures show that 1.9m children in English state-funded primary schools were eligible as of January 2016.

A study of the impact of free school meals by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) estimates the cost of universal free school meals will be outweighed by their "consumer benefits" to the tune of £887m over the next 10 years - or £88.7m a year.

The Conservatives revealed plans to scrap universal free school meals, ahead of last year's general election in order to save £650m, but decided not to follow through with the move.

The report reveals that, based on the findings of a survey, 29 per cent of school leaders identified an improvement in pupils' readiness for learning as a result of universal free school meals.

Meanwhile, 39 per cent of teachers thought attainment and progress in class improved, 36 per cent felt the ability to complete desk-based activities improved; and 36 per cent felt that the ability to concentrate, and not getting distracted improved, with none reporting a deterioration.

The majority of parents responding to the online survey felt that educational outcomes had stayed the same since the introduction of universal free school meals, but 22 per cent of parents responding to the survey noted that achievement at school, attention span and a child's ability to concentrate had all improved in the last three years.

The report also found that a lack of adequate government investment in the provision of free school meals is resulting in financial problems for some primary schools.

It found that since the legal duty came into force in 2014 there has been an eight percentage point increase in the number of primary schools now running their school lunch provision at a loss. Prior to the implementation of the duty 18 per cent were reporting a deficit, this has increased to 26 per cent after 2014.