As reported by BBC News, a new report finds that administrative hurdles are stopping many low-income children from getting the free school meals they qualify for, with MPs urging urgent reform
Thousands of children from low-income families are missing out on free school meals due to administrative barriers, a new report by MPs has found. The Education Select Committee has urged the government to introduce automatic enrolment “without delay” to ensure eligible pupils receive the support they need.
As of June 2024, approximately 2.1 million children – nearly a quarter of pupils in England – qualified for free school meals. However, experts estimate that one in ten children living in poverty are not receiving them. A report by think tank Policy in Practice, published in April 2024, suggested that 471,000 children were needlessly missing out.
Families in England qualify for free school meals if they receive universal credit and have a household income below £7,400 per year after tax, along with other benefits. However, some parents struggle with the enrolment process due to language barriers or administrative difficulties, according to Kate Anstey of the Child Poverty Action Group, who gave evidence to MPs earlier this month.
The cross-party committee has recommended that the government amend the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill – currently progressing through Parliament – to remove the need for families to manually apply. The report warned that failing to implement this change would be a “missed opportunity” to prevent child hunger in schools.
A Department for Education spokesperson said the government “welcomed” the proposals and would carefully consider the recommendations.
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