Vox Pop: Should all children be given free school meals?

YES: Rhian Beynon, head of policy and campaigns, Family Action

Evidence shows that free school meals can have a positive impact on children’s behaviour and attainment. So in the longer term, we should work towards universal provision, even if the current spending climate prohibits it more immediately.

However, the value of free school meals also depends on their quality; and experience teaches us that a healthy meal is only one part of helping children achieve more.

Schools need holistic strategies to improve outcomes, including services to support children’s mental health; and for vulnerable parents to help their children learn.


YES: Robin Wales, mayor, London Borough of Newham

Free school meals are an investment in our children and research makes the benefits for educational attain-ment and take-up clear. These are tough times, but universal benefits are much more effective at tackling poverty and avoiding the benefits trap created by means testing.

In Newham, every primary school pupil is entitled to free meals. It benefits their families, including 3,300 households with children in poverty who would not be entitled under the national scheme.

In a deprived area such as Newham, these are often hard-working families where every penny matters, so the equivalent of £750 a year is welcome. We’ve prioritised funding in this area despite savage cuts from this government who should respond to the evidence in their own report and at least fund free school meals for all children in deprived areas.


NO: Ellen Greaves, research economist, Institute for Fiscal Studies

Although recent IFS research has shown that providing free school meals to all primary school children in two pilot areas in England increased the average level of attainment in those areas, this policy would be expensive to roll out across England.

It would cost perhaps £1bn a year for primary schools only – and may disproportionately benefit children from middle and higher income families, given that children from the poorest families are already entitled to receive free school meals.

There was also little evidence that children’s behaviour or health improved significantly as a result of eating school meals rather than packed lunches.


YES: Jo Walker, children’s food advisor, School Food Trust

In an ideal world, provided that there was robust regulation on nutrition, meal quality, the minimum range of meals available and on minimum expenditure for ingredients, I’d love to see all children getting a healthy meal for free every day at school.

This research adds to the evidence that when children eat better, they do better at school – so investing in good food pays back a big return for their diet and their education.

I worked closely with schools involved in the government pilots, so I’ve seen and heard from head teachers the difference it made – it’s great to see more local authorities using free school meals to help reduce inequalities in their communities.