Thousands of UK Pupils Priced Out of Education

As reported by The Herald, around one in six secondary pupils in the UK have missed school due to a lack of money, according to a new report by the Child Poverty Action Group

Amongst pupils who qualify for free school meals, the numbers missing school for financial reasons increases to 26 percent, representing around one in every four pupils in this group. The campaign groups have called for the UK government to abolish the two child limit and benefit cap to help tackle the problems and says that all UK nations should follow Scotland by introduced free public transport for young people.

The new report – Priced out of school: how lack of money prevents young people from attending school – has been produced following a survey of “nationally representative” survey of 1,701 students aged between eleven and eighteen.

Researchers identified a significant divide when it comes to missing school over transport costs. Around a third of those who missed school for money-related reasons in England and Wales cited transport costs as a factor, but this figure fell to thirteen percent in Scotland. Almost half of those who had missed school due to money problems said that this was down to not having “the correct uniform or kit.”

The report’s main recommendation is for the UK government to abolish both the two-child limit and the benefit cap. It also includes calls for an expansion in free school meals, increased assistance with the cost of uniform and for all young people in the UK to have access to free public transport, as is currently the case in Scotland alone.

Commenting on the research, Kate Anstey, head of education at Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Children in poverty aren’t getting the real deal at school because they don’t have money to participate – or even get to the school gates. From not being able to afford meals or uniform to poor mental health, lack of money at home means young people are missing school – effectively priced out of the system. The government must do more to support living standards for families, so kids aren’t locked out of learning – including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding eligibility for free school meals.”