In the face of increased hunger, support for expanding free school lunches to struggling families surges.

New data reveals that the number of hungry children in the UK has nearly doubled in the past year to over 4 million, increasing pressure on politicians to expand the provision of free school meals to struggling families.

In January, 22% of households, up from 12% on the same date in 2022, reported skipping meals, going hungry, or not eating for an entire day.

The rise in food insecurity coincides with separate foundation polls indicating greater support for expanding free school meals in England. Eight out of ten respondents (80%) favoured expanding free school lunch eligibility to all children in universal credit homes, up from 72% in October.

82% of residents in the South West Surrey constituency of the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, and 81% in the Stockton South constituency of Tory party vice-chair Matt Vickers in the northeast of England are in favour, according to a recent poll.

Anna Taylor, the foundation’s executive director, stated that the most recent data revealed significant gaps in the government’s safety net. “Through extending free school meals to more children in England in the next budget, the government could enact a policy change that is popular with voters, targeted and timely, and effectively achieves parity.”

To reduce the cost-of-living issue for low-income families, there has been renewed political interest in expanding eligibility for free school meals. 

Last month, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, announced that beginning in September, all primary school students in the capital will receive free lunches for one year.

Islington, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, and Westminster provide all elementary students with free meals. Wales aims to give primary kids free lunches by 2024, while Scotland implements a similar scheme.

Campaigners believe that support for the issue is growing on the Conservative bench. Michael Gove, the current secretary of state for levelling up, voiced his support for expanding eligibility for free school meals during the Conservative party conference in October 2013.

After energy expenses, the soaring cost of putting food on the table is now the greatest single strain on the budgets of low-income households.

After a year of steady price increases, the current grocery inflation rate of 17.1% is the highest ever recorded. Free school lunches would save parents approximately £440 annually for each child.

Approximately 800,000 low-income youngsters still need to qualify for free school meals. Before benefits and taxes, households must have an annual income of less than £7,400 to qualify. This criterion has remained unchanged since 2018, even though prices have increased.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education stated, “Since 2010, the number of children receiving a free school meal has increased by over 2 million, bringing the proportion of students receiving free school meals in education settings from one in six to over one-third.”

“On top of this, we have made an additional investment of up to £30 million to extend the national school breakfast programme for another year.”