Give more pupils free school meals, teachers in England say

More children should be given free school meals to help tackle the "devastating reality" of the cost of living crisis in England, teachers say.

In a letter seen by the BBC, teaching unions said all children from families who receive universal credit should be eligible as part of an "urgent" expansion of the scheme.

Around one in five pupils - 1.7 million children - receive free school meals.

The government said it recognised households were struggling.

It said it had expanded access to the meals more than any other government in recent decades.

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The prices of food, fuel and other goods have surged in recent months in the UK, pushing inflation - the rate at which prices rise - to a 40-year high.

Measures the government has announced to try to tackle the rising cost of living include a £400 energy bill discount for every household.

'Barrier to learning'

But the joint letter, sent to Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi by teaching unions and other organisations claiming to represent one million school staff in England, said vulnerable children not receiving free school meals were facing a "real barrier to learning".

"We see the devastating reality of children coming to school unable to afford to buy lunch, because their family circumstances means they fall outside the restrictive free school meal eligibility criteria," it said.

In England, all infant state school pupils up to Year Two can get free school meals during term time.

For English pupils in Year Three and above, those living in households on income-related benefits (such as universal credit) are eligible, as long as their annual household income does not exceed £7,400 after tax. That figure does not include welfare payments.

In Northern Ireland the cap is set at £14,000 a year.

Scotland and Wales have recently committed to rolling out free school meal provision to all primary pupils.

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The latest call for change follows footballer Marcus Rashford's successful campaign to extend free school meal vouchers into school holidays during the pandemic.

An estimated 2.6 million children in the UK live in households that missed meals or struggled to access healthy food during April, according to data from the Food Foundation charity.

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Dr Nick Capstick, head teacher of Drove Primary School in Wiltshire and a signatory to the letter, says children are missing more school because of "illness and poor oral hygiene caused by inadequate diet".

Dr Capstick, who is also chairman of an independent working group, the School Food Review, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's increasingly common that children will come in having not eaten from the night before and also being quite confused, disorientated, and really lacking in energy to have a really productive day at school.

"Universal free schools meals is a simple way of eradicating this situation."

Other signatories to the letter include leaders of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the National Education Union (NEU), the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the teachers' union, NASUWT.

A government spokesperson said: "We recognise that millions of households across the UK are struggling to make their incomes stretch to cover the rising cost of living, which is why, in addition to the over £22bn announced previously, we are providing over £15bn in further support, targeted particularly on those with the greatest need.

"The holiday activities and food programme runs during major school holidays, and wider welfare support is available through the household support fund, which helps vulnerable families in need with essentials, such as food and utility bills."