We have many children at our school in Birmingham that don't have breakfast (we provide toast) and the school dinner is their only hot meal of the day. Opening it up to all children would end food poverty and help so many more families. Every child deserves to have a hot meal every day in our country. School staff are paying out of their own salaries food to feed children… we aren’t paid enough to do this , but we can’t let children starve.

I believe there is a lot of pressure on working families to get to work on time and provide healthy meals to children in the morning not only physically but also financially in this cost of living crisis. They don’t get any other help from government but at least provide free school meals to ease their mentally, physically and financially.

Children need one good meal a day and many are not getting that as parents are trying to juggle so much: work, home and, most of all, finances.

Every child needs to have free school meals and every mother needs a basic income to support her children.

Because me and my partner both work, I work days and he works nights so we can support our family. The cost of living is so high for us at the minute and we aren’t entitled to benefits. We still have our mortgage and bills to pay on top of food. I think that all children should receive school meals so that it is fair to all and just not benefit claimants. Us working parents are struggling too.

I will helps improve my family wellbeing and reduce stress from my coping expenses.

All children should be entitled to a hot meal regardless of background.

Free school meals saved us three kids in the 50s and 60s as our Mum was left with two daughters and a newborn son. We all flourished at school each one of us had a professional job as a social worker, a nurse and an architect. That meal at school was the only one we got in the day and we even had provision to go into a local school for lunch during the school holidays. It was a no brainer. Affordable then so should be affordable now.

Back in 1960’s Sunderland children had healthy (2 course) meals and milk every day. Poor families had the opportunity of sending their children to a Saturday lunch). Reinstate this level of support for families and their children.

All of us need good nutrition, children all the more so. I've worked in various types of school, but in each one of them, it soon shows when a child is not getting enough food.

The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on our children is huge. We are witnessing hungry, tired, sad, worried and traumatised children, unable to perform at school, attending less and become weaker; some are turning to petty crime to help feed their families such as stealing leftover food from school bins; this the level of their desperation. As school and public health nurses our role is to prevent ill health and promote positive well-being; without advocating and standing up for this ongoing injustice and rising health inequalities we would also be failing our children. Joining forces with like-minded others helps amplify our combined voices and thus, an improved chance of being heard and a positive response from our decision-makers. Universal free school meals will ensure that every school child receives at least one meal per day, this will go a long way to helping our children become healthier and happier thus achieve, attend, and attain at school. Without this we will continue to see the re-emergence of long-gone health conditions such as scurvy and rickets, malnourishment, and an ongoing decline in our children’s health, education, and well-being outcomes. This is flawed and conflicting policy as will cost billions in the long run compared to a fairly insignificant comparative investment now

At Cook Stars Chester we believe every child should have access to nutritious food- no matter their background. Food is essential to fuel growing bodies and minds. Getting through a school day hungry prevents learning and this is unacceptable! Free school meals for all would help provide more equal opportunities for all children.

All children should recieve a hot dinner

As Kinship carers who stepped up to raise children, due to means testing on savings and pensions. No we won't be eligible for free school meals for the children. Saved for our retirement and watching it be stripped away.

Every child deserves a good meal every day whilst in school. Look after the future. Regardless of the income of parents. Those not on benefits should have the option to donate to school charity if they want.

Children rely on school meals and a nourished child is far more capable of engaging.

No child should sit in a classroom hungry. Yet today, children are going without a hot meal simply because of their parents’ income, employment or immigration status. This is wrong, and it must change. I work in a primary school as a support staff/teaching assistant with an SEN child. I see every day how a school meal can lift a child’s mood, calm their behaviour and help them learn. A full stomach gives a child dignity, confidence and the chance to thrive. I am also a working parent with three children. Because of my immigration status and NRPF, my children—including my British child—are shut out of support other families receive. School meals cost us around £270 per term. For families like mine, that is a heavy, painful choice between bills, food and basic stability. We work. We contribute. Yet our children are left behind. NRPF rules trap families in hardship, where even a simple school meal becomes out of reach. Universal free school meals would change everything. It would guarantee every child a hot, healthy meal. It would remove stigma. It would lift pressure from working families who fall through the cracks. And it would put children first—where they belong. No child should be punished for their parents’ circumstances. A child’s access to food should never depend on immigration status. Every child deserves to be fed, supported and ready to learn.

Children who are hungry may struggle to concentrate, participate and stay engaged in lessons. A reliable school meal can help children start the afternoon ready to learn.

Free school meals would mean that no child feels embarrassed because they cannot afford lunch. Everyone would be treated equally, and children could sit together and enjoy their meals without worrying about who has paid. In conclusion, free school meals would help children stay healthy, learn better and feel included. School should be a place where every child has the same opportunities, and free school meals would be an important step towards making this happen.

As a parent who isn't entitled to universal credit but still struggles daily with the mortage and bills I believe my child should recieve free school meals too!

Everyone getting a free school meal would be a massive equaliser, no more shame and no more packed lunch issues: allergies, unhealthy or incomplete meals: every child getting a nutritious, hot meal which allows them to learn, play and thrive.

The difference between a child who has access to a good lunch and a child who hasn’t is noticeable, academically, socially and physically.

Ultimately we are part of a system where working parents are at the mercy of local services for childcare and extra curricular activities. We send our children to school, it is not free, we all pay for it through our taxes. Why is it that we have to pay for lunch when this is an essential need for our children whilst learning and in the care of the school. I think we should go the extra mile and include this for secondary schools too. That fact that we have children going hungry in 2026 is a disgrace to this country.

For families, extending free school meals to every primary school child would be valuable financial support, particularly with the rising cost of food and household bills. It would take away some of the financial pressure of providing packed lunches or paying for school meals every day. It would also give parents peace of mind knowing their children are receiving a healthy, nutritious meal at school, while ensuring that no child feels different or excluded because of their family’s financial situation.

Too many children have aching empty bellies which means they cannot learn properly or settle in class due to hunger! Every child deserves a full belly not just a few which means we will have better behaviour, learning, development and happy smiles all so important!

Parent of four children. Work hard. No benefits. Not fair.

It is incomprehensible for parents and teachers of disabled children that a child gets a free school meal till they are in our primary department and as soon as they become a secondary age child, their parents have to pay. Is lunch optional at age 11 but essential at age 10? Preposterous!

Research shows that all children need breakfast lunch tea and dinner. They learn better. Their mood is better. They grow healthier. Sadly many parents cannot afford regular healthy meals. School could provide healthy nutritious foods. Government should concentrate on the future of our children.

I’m a catering supervisor and I see on a daily basis just how many children don’t get a hot and healthy lunch The children who have a packed lunch don’t always have a lot in it I strongly believe all children from 3 to 18 should have a hot lunch provided daily and especially now as everything is so expensive

Free school meals for every primary school child would reduce financial pressure on families and ensure every child has access to a healthy meal and an equal opportunity to learn.

All children should get a free hot meal in school for some children this is their only hot meal a day and with having triplets the price of dinner very week is crippling

Other places in the country already do this so why can’t we all be the same. It is a struggle and the expense of getting everything for a packed lunch. It would be less of a worry for all children to have a hot meal..

Too many school staff are having to dip into their own pockets or a deficit budget to ensure children, who don’t meet the criteria for FSM because their parents are earning but are barely above the poverty line, have a lunch each day.

Just help children learn and thrive

I am a parent of 3 grown up schoolchildren and was a learning support teacher at their senior school for four years. I was shocked to find some of those children who were most in need of help by my department often never had a decent meal, or came to school not having eaten or enough money to buy a sensible lunch. They rarely hydrated with water as there were only one or two functioning drinking fountains in a massive school of 3,000 pupils (13 classes of years 7-13). This was shocking 😮 and unacceptable.

School dinners are important for children so they have something to eat

Getting all children to experience a wide range of freshly cooked, healthy meals is a basic thing which some families don’t or are not able to provide - school is a place where this should absolutely be happening, And imagine the reduction in food and packaging waste!

At the school where I work we now have mandatory school meals, no packed lunches at all and this works a lot better than before when more children had packed lunches and mainly only those on low income who received free school meals had a school meal This caused a lot of stigma to those having school meals and a lot of competitiveness amongst those with packed lunches. We often had instances of children stealing other children’s lunch items as well as children bringing nuts in their packed lunch and children were often close to tears because they didn’t have what other children had. With the mandatory school meals there is an amazing menu with at least three meal options every day, fresh fruit and salad and everyone is equal and happy at lunchtime.

Hungry children cannot apply the basic principles required for learning. Basic needs must be accounted for in full funding and provision for education.

I live in Wales so my kids get free school meals, but I believe all kids should!!

Hungry children cannot learn; we already have teachers paying out of their own pocket so that schoolchildren can at least have breakfast at the start of the day. Healthy school dinners mean the children eat together, learn better, and get used to eating good food. In addition, we face the shameful consequence that undernourished children do not develop cognitive capacities as fast as those who are properly fed (and that is bad for our whole society, not just our economy), that they are at far greater risk of the early onset of chronic conditions, and that their lives, let alone their healthy lives, are almost certain to be shorter than those of better-fed children.

Children can't learn when they're hungry. There is shame and stigma attached to admitting they're not being given lunch. Too many are suffering. School dinners are a disgrace also.

Me and my husband work full time and have a mortgage to pay and having free school meals would really help us out.

Children should have free school meals for the whole of primary school

No child should go hungry in this day and age. It seems more and more families are struggling and it shouldn’t be a lucky dip as to which children get to eat and who doesn’t. It’s a basic right. Do the right thing please.

Financial pressures are becoming an increasingly common worry for families across the UK. No child should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from, especially during the school day. Ensuring children have access to a nutritious meal at school can make a real difference to their wellbeing, concentration and ability to learn. Extending free school meals is an important step towards supporting families, reducing inequality and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

There is no question more children that should be are trying to learn while hungry. Poverty and child poverty are on the increase and it's getting worse as a result of events across the world. To see children going without even basic food needs because hard working - yes hard working - parents can't make ends meet is heart breaking. We see it all the time in school. One big help would be a further increase in free school meals

I think free meals would be great so everyone is treated equally. It will also help a lot of parents with lower income and during the school holidays a lot of parents spend vast amounts on food and activities which isn’t a issue as parents just want their child to have the best and more.

I had free school meals after my dad’s accident .

Imagine being a child who comes to school hungry, knowing your family can't afford much food that week. You sit in class trying to concentrate, but your stomach is empty. Free school meals can change that. They give children a nutritious meal, help them concentrate and learn, and take financial pressure off struggling families. A child shouldn't miss out on a healthy lunch simply because their parents earn slightly too much to qualify. Every child deserves to eat, learn and have the same chance in life regardless of their parents' income. That's why the UK Government should extend free school meals.

Every child at every age should have the option to have school dinners as everything is only getting more and more expensive and too many families are struggling. No child should go without a proper nutritious meal and we have the funds, the government just isn't giving enough money and support to schools, teachers or kids and that is the failure of our govt. Please do not let a child miss out on meals due to living in such poverty.

It shouldn’t just cover primary school, it should cover every child in school. As an educator, you never know if these children are going home to have food or not, by offering them a hot meal at least once a day you know that these children have been fed.

Children in all schools including primary and secondary should be entitled to free school meals and should not be means tested. With the cost of living on the rise, this school meal becomes expensive when you have more than one child. It should be fairly available to all parents not just those on benefits, at least that is one less thing to worry about for a working parent!

In this day and age no child should be hungry at school

It’s so much less stressful knowing my child has a hot nutritious meal every day. It has helped my child with SEN to have more structure and routine, rather than only having school dinners occasionally, when we can afford it. She is eating better than ever too, despite her sensory preferences around food.

Children face the same challenges at home whether they are 2, 4, 8, 12 or 16 and you could argue that in their teenage years they need it more as they go through puberty and sit their GCSE's. As a school business manager, this is a conversation I've been having with our LA for the last 14 or 15 years after they decided to introduce free breakfast for all primary children. Do we not need a broader scope?

I’m writing to you because I strongly believe that free school meals should be available to every child, not just children whose parents are receiving benefits. My partner and I work over 90 hours a week between us. We work hard, contribute to society and do everything we can to provide for our family, yet we still struggle financially. Some months, simply paying the bills and putting food on the table is a real worry. Being in work does not mean a family is well off. There are so many working parents who are doing everything they can and still having to make impossible choices. No child should go hungry or feel different at school because of their parents’ financial circumstances. I believe every child deserves the same opportunity to have a healthy, nutritious meal at school, regardless of their parents’ employment status or income. Please consider how many hardworking families are currently falling through the gaps and having to struggle in silence. Children should come first. They deserve to eat, learn and thrive without their parents having to worry about whether they can afford their next meal.

I have a grandson who is unable to work due to on going health issues. I have three great granddaughters, two are in the (what we used to call, infant school) and one who is at nursery. To have them receive a school meal, hot meal in the winter, means a lot to my grandson and his wife. 

Nutrition directly impacts a child’s ability to concentrate, learn, and grow. However, relying solely on parents to provide daily nutrition assumes every household has equal access to nutritional education, affordable fresh food, and time.   ​Universal Free School Meals bridge this gap. By delivering a hot, healthy school dinner to every primary child, we establish an equal baseline for health and education. It ensures every child is fuelled for the school day regardless of home circumstances. It’s time for the Government to finish the job and extend Free School Meals to every primary school child.

It's important that children get the best start in morning. So many children leave home with no breakfast.

I think it's every child's right to eat a hot and healthy meal in school to stay focused in class

School dinners can become such a large cost for families especially those on low income who are not entitled to benefits

If it were not for free school meals when I was a child in the 50s I don't think we as a family would have survived. All children should receive them.

Food is really important for a child. If they don’t eat they lose focus, they have tantrums can’t perform and behave as they would if they had eaten.

No child should be left without food. And the healthier options (which is the only thing allowed) are the more expensive.

I support free schol meals because its the school's job to make sure no child goes hungry

I think it’s very important that all children can have a good school meal every day, without pressure on parents and carers. There are many families who struggle even if they appear to be okay financially.

Too many children turn up to school without breakfast, and sometimes, so little, if anything for lunch.

Sometimes providing school lunches is expensive and in winter it’s hard to give children a warm meal when on packed lunches also some children do not receive a hot meal at home so school might be their only hot meal,

It is good to look after all pupils and ensure they have a balanced and varied diet.

Would you send your child to school hungry? Some parents don’t have the option. provide free school meals to every child.

No child should go hungry. Should be free till they leave full time education.

Children need to eat to boost their ability to learn and also to take the pressure of parents. So many are suffering financial hardships

A child cannot learn on an empty stomach!

I am a single mum of five children they are growing fast and so does their appetite. Free school meals is a massive support for me. I’m very grateful :-)

It would mean children get a lovely hot meal or cold meal. A full belly will make kids happy and want to learn. My son has autism: he won't eat but he eats a nice bitty orange juice and a pudding. He would not take a packed lunch .

I’m not a parent but as a taxpayer I support FREE school breakfasts for all children AND FREE school meals for all children. Universal non-means tested benefits have the highest take up because they provide the best uplift. Universal free school breakfasts & launches provide the best wraparound care in terms of nutrition & cost saving & childcare for households. Also, the liberating effect would give everyone in the household more headspace. The relief on the parents would pervade throughput the household. I think everyone could/should support this whether parents or not. Using local suppliers would benefit local businesses & neighbourhoods. An all round win!👍

As a foster carer, I know through experience how children get through the day and as ex driver delivering the school meals to local schools I could see the difference regarding how happy and content they were. Unfortunately some parents have to pay or give a packed lunch and with the cost of living it's a real hardship. So let's give all children a good free breakfast and lunch each day and watch how their educational learning improves and also their wellbeing.

All school children should get free school meals whether parents work or not - it’s hard paying for meals every day as well as food after school and on weekends.

I don't claim any sort of benefits and I'm a working parent. I'm still struggling to keep myself afloat. My children don't get Free School Meals.

Both me and my partner work. Him full time and me part time not entitled to any benefits and find it a struggle to keep my kids accounts topped up. I top them up 3 pounds a day so 15 for the full week for one child and I have 2. It is a struggle paying this and I find myself giving my child grief all the time when he goes over the 3 pound a day limit I set for him as its unaffordable to keep doing this on top off all the other bills. People on benefits get everything for free and us not entitled to nothing just because we work its like us workers get punished. Even though most weeks we struggle like we dont work. Some kids only get fed at school. School meals should be free when they are forced to go to school and it would take a lot of stress of parents like myself trying to find this money each week. It's been hard to find the money for school uniforms then added stress when they start back to school finding money to keep them fed in school. I pay my tax national insurance and council tax. Council tax is so high at the minute it should cover free school meals for everyone! Just because we work doesn't mean we don't need help because normally its the working that struggle the most.

As a working parent to now two primary school children - aged 3 and 7 - I will be paying for both this year as one is too young (nursery) and one is too old (year 3) for the universal school meals. I already pay for Breakfast Club, and After School Club and with the ever rising cost of living increases, everything is so difficult to manage. I think working parents are usually forgotten by Government initiatives. We often have less disposable income than those in receipt of benefits as we do not qualify for any benefits. Ultimately our children suffer. This is a disincentive to work as a parent.

Just feed the bairns. Happy, healthier, more engaged children that end up with a better education and long term health outcomes. It’s just makes sense.

When you've been a school leader in North Manchester for your whole career, you'll know why there should be school meals for all! When you've seen older siblings scurry over to their younger siblings in the hall to have a bit of what they're having because families can't afford school meals for the older children but you also know that for some, that's the only meal there will be that day and they're having it in school because otherwise school will ask questions. In addition, where packed lunches are better, there is limited knowledge about nutrition and so obesity is a rising problem because poor quality foods are what's on offer in the supermarket. Free school meals for all will give families, many of whom are working, that comforting reassurance that their children will eat well at least once in a day. As school leaders, we would be changes to behaviour and attention for learning in the afternoons improve! This isn't just about the financial side or academic side, it's about equity and fair starting points in life. Food is a basic need and sits at the foot of the pyramid for authentic social change for our most vulnerable pupils.

Despite the headlines regarding the expansion of Free School meals, this is not the reality for many people. In realities many have lost access to free school meals. As a Foster Carer, free school meals have been removed for many Looked After Child. Previously LAC children received free school meals based upon Birth parents income level. This was also transitioned to High School.  Previously, once a child receives free school meals, they received them throughout their education and until 18 for SEN Children. Since September 2026, the transitional arrangements have been removed, so when LAC children move to High School Free school meals are removed apart from if the Foster Carer is on benefits in their own right. My husband works, so we do not receive benefits. Therefore, some LAC receive free school meals and some do not. So many LAC children lose a hot meal and are replaced with a cold packed lunch. This is a huge disparity for Fostered children or for families who have worked hard to come off benefits but are still struggling. 

This is a basic minimum thing to do for the family.

Some parents do not prioritise children, some parents, working/non working financially struggle, which causes hardship with daily living costs, children suffer with lack of food, lack clothes,they're underfed, bullied at school. Or are not getting breakfast/the right balanced diet. Working families should also get free school meals. I don't know how paying taxes, and all bills, daily living then the weekly amount charged for each school child for school meals is expected of working families.

We are a working family who are not entitled to free school meals. We find the expense of school meals for our 3 children really high, and we struggle month to month to pay for our outgoings.

I cannot bear thinking of children and parents worrying about how they will manage to get enough meals for the school week. Also, I remember what it feels like to be collecting free lunch tokens and being different from my friends.

I was a business manger in a socially deprived school at one time being in the bottom 9% in the country. I worked closely with Kellogg to give every child in school a free breakfast. During the school holidays we also provided breakfast and hot lunch for our most deprived pupils.

I believe every child no matter what their should have at least one hot meal a day. There is too much poverty in the world and our children suffer more than anything.

Every child deserves a proper meal at school no matter the background.

I am a single mum, I don’t get paid much from work. I feel like my top up of universal credit goes on school meals instead of balancing the bills.

How can it be fair that children in London receive free school meals all through primary school, yet in most of the country it’s only free for the first 3 years? Salaries are much lower outside of London, yet we have limited transport links in rural areas so the cost of schooling is disproportionately higher

If children have a healthy meal each day, they learn better, focus more on lessons and are more settled in their learning.

I am a mother of three children who are in primary school but because of my income, we are not entitled to free school meals. Free school meals should be fixed for every child in the UK. Having to pay £202 for a 6 weeks term for meals (excluding 8 weeks terms) with low income is just too much for non receiving benefits parents. Every child deserves to be treated the same way by receiving hot meals from school at dinner time. Having to eat cold packed lunches everyday whilst your classmates are eating hot meals sitting next to you is not just fair in my point of view. No free hot school meals should be a preference by the child or parents.

I'm a food teacher, I see children going all day without food at break and lunchtime!

As a teacher and a parent, I can see on a daily basis the impact of lack of food or healthy food has on children's ability to focus, learn, enjoy their learning experience. No child should face the day without the chance to access nutritious food and too many families struggle at the moment to cope with this.

I support children and families in a primary school. Many families are just above the threshold to receive free school meals but still struggle to pay their bills and feed their families nutritious filling meals. We provide bags for vulnerable children but cannot for every child that still should have them due to budget restraints. All families should have the right for their children to have the opportunity to have a filling nutritious meal at lunchtime. Children are hungry and that is totally unacceptable.

With the cost of living, being able to have your children fed at school without having to stress how to pay for it or if what you’re providing is healthy enough.