As the Mayor of London last week
announced that the provision of Free School Meals (UFSM) for all
primary pupils in London would be made permanent if he is
re-elected, letters, coordinated
by The Food Foundation have been sent to all metro mayoral candidates calling for
them to champion bringing an end to the school food postcode
lottery that leaves struggling families outside of London at a
disadvantage.
The letters have been sent ahead of
mayoral elections on 2nd
May to call on all
candidates across the UK to support nationwide action to
extend free school meals. The 87 signatories include celebrity
chefs Tom Kerridge and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, as well as
NGOs, academics, councillors, doctors and health organisations
including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the
Royal Society of Public Health, the Association of Directors of
Public Health and the National Education
Union.
There are 900,000 children living in poverty
in England who are missing out on
national eligibility for Free School Meals. It is unfair that all
primary school children in London receive a free hot meal at
lunchtime, with the same being rolled out in Scotland and Wales,
while there are so many children across the rest of England who
are living in poverty without getting the same level of essential
support. Outside of London, only children from households with an
income below £7,400 a year (after tax, before benefits) are
eligible; a threshold that has not increased since
2018.
New polling (1) commissioned by The
Food Foundation and published today has found that support for
FSM is high across areas that will be voting for metro mayors
next week:-
-
In the West Midlands Combined
Authority (WMCA) 79% of people support expanding Free School
Meals to more children, while 73% support expanding the current
scheme to all children
-
In Yorkshire 73% of people support
expanding Free School Meals to more children, while 67% support
expanding the current scheme to all
children.
-
In Liverpool City Region Combined
Authority 80% of people support expanding Free School Meals to
more children, while 75% support expanding the current scheme
to all children.
Good nutrition in childhood should be
non-negotiable; without it, not only do health outcomes worsen,
placing extra pressure on the NHS but so do children's life
chances. 1 in 3 children are leaving primary school with an
unhealthy weight and
1 in 5 households with children are currently experiencing
food insecurity in the
UK. FSM can ensure that
all school children can benefit from a hot nutritious meal at
lunchtime, helping to protect them from food insecurity, to be
healthier and happier, able to do better in school and in the
long-term, earn more over their
lifetime.
If Free School Meals were extended to
all children, for every £1 invested, £1.71 would be
generated in core benefits driven by improved health, education
and employment outcomes.
Anna Taylor, Executive
Director of The Food Foundation, said,
“As
the transformative potential of free school meals is being
increasingly recognised in London, we are calling for the scheme
to be expanded nationwide to bring an end to the postcode
lottery. Every child deserves access to healthy, nutritious food
regardless of where they live. As we approach the 2024 general
election, we urge all national political parties and metro mayors
to pledge to do what's right and ensure that no child in England
is left to go hungry at school.”
Celebrity Chef and Campaigner
Tom Kerridge, said, “We need to end the postcode lottery in Free School Meals
now. Every child should have a hot meal at lunchtime. Free School
Meals provide a vital safety net for families struggling in the
current cost of living crisis and policy makers need to commit to
making sure every child in the UK can benefit, learn and go on to
reach their potential'
Celebrity Chef and Campaigner
Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall,
said,
“Introducing free school meals
for every primary school child in London has been an amazing
policy initiative from Sadiq Kahn, making a real difference
to children's health and learning in the capital. It's brilliant
that he's committed to making that a permanent policy in his
manifesto. And it would be even more brilliant if it was expanded
across England, so that all children can receive a
nutritious meal at school to help them concentrate, thrive
at school, and reach their
potential.”
Paul McDonald, Chief Campaigns
Officer at Health Equals: “Our childhood shapes our future health, and poverty is one
of the biggest risks to children's health. Free school meals will
help protect children from poverty and provide them with a
nutritious meal which will help them grow, learn better at school
and have more opportunity to thrive. Providing free school meals
is investing in our children's future to give them every
opportunity for a healthy and prosperous life.”
ENDS
FOOTNOTES
-
Public First conducted anonymous,
online surveys of 501 respondents in the West Midlands Combined
Authority, 500 respondents in Yorkshire, and 501 respondents in
the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, from
8th
– 23rd March 2024. The surveys were
weighted using Iterative Proportional Fitting, or 'Raking'. The
results are weighted by age, gender, and grouped social grade
to locally representative proportions. Public First is a member
of the British Polling Council (BPC) and abides by its rules.
For more information, please contact the Public First polling
team: polling@publicfirst.co.uk,
or visit our website. This polling
was funded through Health Equals by The Health Foundation. The
Health Foundation is an independent charitable organisation
working to build a healthier UK.
