The Department of Education (DE) in Northern Ireland has unveiled plans to potentially provide free school meals to all pupils. However, the initiative could cost over £200 million annually if extended to every child. Limiting free meals to primary school pupils or younger children would reduce costs significantly.
The department has launched a consultation on free school meals and uniform grants, detailing various options and associated costs. For example, extending free meals to all children up to Primary 3 would cost around £46 million a year, while including all primary school pupils up to Primary 7 would cost £103 million. Offering free meals to every schoolchild, regardless of income, would require £202 million annually.
This proposal follows similar initiatives in other parts of the UK. London Mayor Sadiq Khan recently introduced free lunches for all state primary school pupils, while Wales provides free meals to all primary school children, although secondary pupils must still apply. Scotland, meanwhile, dropped its commitment to expand free meals to all primary pupils earlier this year.
Education Minister Paul Givan is also reviewing the eligibility criteria for free meals and uniform grants in Northern Ireland. Currently, families qualify for free school meals and uniform grants if they earn up to £15,000 annually (after tax) and receive benefits like Universal Credit, Income Support, or Jobseeker’s Allowance. About 94,000 pupils, or over 25% of the school population, are eligible.
The department’s consultation explores increasing the income threshold to £20,000 and providing meals to more students, but officials warn of severe budget pressures. Additional funding would be required to implement any significant changes.
Advocates argue that free school meals could improve children’s focus, learning, and nutritional habits, but the proposal highlights growing concerns about child poverty. The Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee recently criticized the Department for Communities’ handling of the Child Poverty Strategy, calling it a “catalogue of failures.”
The consultation, which also considers capping school uniform prices, will remain open until 14 February 2025.