IPNEd applauds school meals expansion — Urges UK to join global coalition
School meals will be served to 500,000 more UK pupils under policy changes from the UK Government.
The UK Government has announced that it will provide free school meals to all children in families receiving Universal Credit.
500,000 more pupils will be eligible for a free school meal and 100,000 children will be lifted out of poverty.
The government will also review school nutrition standards which has the potential to improve the nutritional quality of the meals children receive at school.
IPNEd welcomes the move and urges the UK to join more than 100 other countries committed to feeding children and join the global School Meals Coalition.
IPNEd welcomes the decision of the UK Government to expand free school meals for all children in families receiving Universal Credit.
The government says children will be able to claim the free meals in time for the new school year in September 2026 and estimates 500,000 more pupils will now be eligible.
Writing in the Mirror newspaper, the British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer said the government’s mission was to “set up every child for success” and put money in the pockets of working people.
I want every child to have every opportunity and the best support to aim high, achieve good grades, and get the best education possible,” he wrote.
IPNEd member and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on School Food, Sharon Hodgson MP, who has been campaigning for free school meals for over 18 years, said she was “so pleased” by the Labour Government’s “commitment to such a transformative measure.”
“There are few policies that are better for families who are living in poverty than Free School Meals. Providing more children than ever with a healthy, hot, nutritious meal will truly change lives.
“This is something we know will take pressure off parents and support children to be fueled for the rest of the school day,” she concluded.
As well as expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals, the government has committed to carry out an expert-led review of school meals standards so every school is supported with the latest nutrition guidance and is prvidng the best quality food to children.
“It was very rewarding to see those making and responding to the announcement refer to the multiple benefits of school meals - improved learning, healthy growth and development, and the role that school meals play in easing the financial challenges of low-income families.
“All of these benefits are detailed in ‘School meals: A toolkit for members of parliament’ which we published in partnership with the World Food Programme and the Research Consortium for School Health & Nutrition as a contribution to the work of the School Meals Coalition,” said IPNEd Director Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly.
Ms. Hogdson MP generously launched the toolkit in the UK parliament and sent a copy to every member of the House of Commons.
IPNEd’s Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, Sharon Hodgson MP, Geraldine O’Callaghan of WFP and Professor Donald Bundy of the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition mark the launch of the toolkit in the UK Parliament.
Members of the UK parliament have also been urging the UK to join over 100 other countries as a member of the School Meals Coalition where it can play a part in learning about and contributing to the expansion and improvement of school meals both across the UK and around the world.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates that the UK understands the value of providing children with a nutritious meal every day at school. I urge the government to build on that recognition and take its place at the global table of states working together to secure children’s learning and development with healthy food at school,” said Mr Nhan-O’Reilly.
