The number of children in Manchester who are eligible for free school meals has risen by nearly 14 pc in 18 months as the total topped 38,000 last year. More than two in five children in the city were entitled to free school meals in May 2022 when the last school census was completed by Manchester council.
The total number of children eligible for free school meals stood at 38,584 according to the latest data, around 4,700 more than it was in January 2021. To be eligible in England, a household must earn less than £7,400 a year after tax and not including benefits, regardless of the number of children in a family.
The figures of free school meals are often used as a measure of child poverty and also affects how much government funding schools will receive each year. The cost of living crisis, which is expected to continue squeezing low-income families, could be a factor contributing to the recent rise in the figures locally.
READ MORE: Nearly a quarter of Manchester children miss at least a month of school a year
However, changes have been made to the way the council identifies who is eligible to minimise under reporting and maximise the funding schools get. The government also introduced new rules during the roll out of Universal Credit which means children who have become eligible for free school meals since April 2018 will remain so regardless of their circumstances changing.
This will remain in place for those children until the end of their current phase of education, but soon it will no longer apply to children who become eligible. Manchester has seen a 'steady' rise in the number of children eligible for free school meals since October 2018 when a new online checker was launched.
National eligibility averages have been 'consistently' and 'significantly' lower, almost half compared to Manchester's total, according to a council report. But the figures are expected to fall when transitional protection ends, which is thought to be in March 2023, once the roll out of Universal Credit is complete.
Over time, as pupils progress through the school system, there could be a steady decline in eligible pupils – although financial factors could have the opposite effect with more families plunged into poverty due to rising bills.
Child Poverty Action Group is now calling for an urgent extension of free school meals to all families on Universal Credit or equivalent benefits, and for England to move towards providing free schools meals for all children. The charity claims that thousands of children in poverty all over the country are missing out on free school meals due to the 'restrictive' eligibility criteria.
Policy director Sara Ogilvie said: "The start of a new school year should be a time of excitement as children prepare to reunite with their friends and restart their learning. But families up and down the country are instead dreading the colder and shorter days ushered in by September, with rocketing costs stretching their budgets to breaking point.
"In this context, it cannot be right that more children in poverty will be at risk of going hungry at school despite their parents’ best efforts to provide for them. We must move towards the path set by Scotland and Wales and ensure that every child in England can get a free, nutritious meal at school every day."
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There are also fears that children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds are missing out on free school meals despite a recent policy change. In April, the Department for Education (DfE) announced that children living in poverty whose families are otherwise cut off from the welfare safety net because of their immigration status would be eligible for free school meals.
But according to Praxis - a charity for migrants and refugees - schools and parents are 'largely unaware' of the change and data on uptake is 'scarce'. A government spokesperson said: "We know many families are facing rising costs, which is why work continues across government to address cost pressures.
"We are providing over 1.9m children with free school meals and continue to keep eligibility under review, to make sure these meals support those who most need them. We have also announced new plans to save the average household £1,000 a year on their energy bills from October, and are providing welfare support through the Household Support Fund, which is helping vulnerable families with essentials such as food and utility bills."
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