An overwhelming majority of Labour members support offering free school meals to all primary school children, a poll shows today.
Eight out of 10 (81%) respondents said existing support for needy kids doesn't go far enough as calls mount for universal free school meals.
A YouGov survey for the National Education Union (NEU) of 1,017 Labour members found 89% support ensuring all primary kids get a free school dinner.
Some 81% backed rolling out free school meals up to the end of secondary school, the poll found.
All children in England can get free school meals up to the end of Year 2 but after that it only applies to households on certain benefits.
Pupils living in Universal Credit families are eligible if their parents earn less than £7,400-a-year from work.
An estimated 800,000 kids living in poverty miss out on free school meals due to strict eligibility criteria.
The Mirror and the NEU's campaign for free school meals for primary kids in England has been backed by celebrity chefs such as Tom Kerridge as well as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
It comes after dozens of Labour MPs and peers backed calls for England to follow Scotland and Wales by offering hot dinners to all primary pupils, regardless of income.
In an open letter, they urged Keir Starmer to put free school meals at the heart of the party's election offer.
Why every child deserves a free school meal
The country’s children should not be the victims of the cost of living crisis.
They should not have to pay the price because their parents cannot afford to put food on the table or heat the family home.
But at the moment there are nearly four million children living in poverty. Many of them are being brought up in homes where there is not enough money to pay for a hot meal. Some are having to skip meals entirely.
That is why the Mirror is calling on the government to provide free school meals for every primary pupil in England.
The Scottish and Welsh governments are introducing universal free school meals. It’s time England did the same.
If a child is hungry they cannot learn. It makes it harder for them to concentrate in class and harder for them to reach their potential.
Free school meals for all primary-age children would save parents vital pennies - money which could be used to pay for warm clothes, school activities or heating.
It would reduce the bureaucracy attached with deciding which pupils are eligible. Most importantly, it would mean every child have the chance to flourish.
You can find out more about our Free School Meals for All campaign here
Asked if Labour should commit to rolling out the benefit to all primary kids in Government, 83% said it was a good idea.
Labour has focused its attention on promising to offer free breakfast clubs to all primary school pupils, so every child can get a nutritious meal to set them up to learn.
The plan would be funded from cash clawed back by scrapping the 'non-dom' tax status, which allows UK residents whose permanent homes are abroad not to pay tax in Britain on their overseas income.
The poll found 83% of Labour members support the breakfast clubs plan.
But when asked if the Labour were to put either free school meals or breakfast clubs in their manifesto, 72% said they preferred the party to focus on school dinners.
Kevin Courtney, NEU joint general secretary, said: “Free school meals are a way of ensuring all children receive a nutritious, hot meal every day, helping them focus on learning at school.
"What this poll shows is that Labour party members strongly back free school meals and overwhelmingly believe they are a good idea for Labour in government, should they win the next general election.
"Labour members are right and they are pointing the way forward for Labour policy."
He urged all political parties to take on the pledge for the next election.
The NEU is leading a national week of action from 24-30 June to call on Government to expand the provision of Free School Meals to all children in primary schools.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Over a third of pupils in England now receive free school meals in education settings, compared with one in six in 2010.
“To recognise the pressures facing schools, in April 2022 we announced an £18 million increase to the per-pupil funding rate for universal infant free school meals to support with costs around food, transport and staff wages.
"This is on top of a huge uplift in school funding, which next year will be at its highest level in history – per pupil, in real terms – as measured by the IFS, following the additional £2bn of investment for both 2023/24 and 2024/25 in the autumn statement.”
Find out how you can get involved in the free school meals week of action here, which runs until June 30.
:: YouGov surveyed 1,017 Labour Party members between June 2 and 8, 2023
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