The change our schools, pupils and working families really need is Free School Meals for All. Means-testing will always leave children and families behind. With Free School Meals for All, we could end the scandal of child hunger in schools, and remove the stigma and shame that divides pupils in the dinner hall and leaves its mark on young people for decades to come. We’ve seen the impact in London, where Free School Meals have been universal in primary schools for two years and 90% of children choose hot, school dinners over cold packed lunches. Parents tell us the difference it makes for their finances, freeing up money for other activities for their children. Teachers can focus on teaching knowing every child is fed. Lunchtime is more fun and enriching, as schools renew their focus on making this period a better experience for all.  8 in 10 parents support this policy. Of all the measures to reduce the cost of living, this would make a tangible difference to a generation of children, while easing the pressure for parents. That is a legacy any government could be proud of.

I’m a foster carer; every penny we receive is spent on giving our children amazing experiences. We attend meetings after meetings, we complete daily admin, training and various sessions with other professionals. It’s hectic! We’ve always received FSM for our looked after children and it’s been a huge weight lifted financially & mentally. Now it’s either a rushed packed lunch in a morning or being chased by school to top accounts up. The selection of food at high school for our children is also quite poor. They need at least £5 a day to get something substantial and that adds up very quickly!

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.

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.

It's really unfair for the working parents, on top of having no help we can't even benefit from free lunch meals for our children. It's like the government is punishing the working parents who's trying hard to make a living. We get no relief on anything at all. At this point, I don't even know why I'm going to work if I end up paying my whole salary paying bills and for food.

Every child, including my grandchildren, should be fed daily so that they achieve their full potential growing up.

Not every family can afford to feed their children.

If a retired teacher may add her own words… Avoid children falling asleep in lessons or not performing to the best of their ability. Avoid some children being looked down on by others. Avoid wasting teaching time listing who is eating a free meal each day.

Many children leave home without eating anything at all. No child should start the day hungry, it affects their concentration, behaviour, and ability to learn. Extending free school meals to more families on Universal Credit is a godsend and no doubt will help thousands of children daily , however it still leaves out other children. If free school meals were a guarantee that every child gets a proper meal every day, regardless of their home situation. It would removes stigma, protects dignity, and makes sure no child is singled out or left out because of their parents’ circumstances. Children need a healthy diet to grow, learn, and thrive. Free school meals makes sure that every child gets at least one nutritious meal a day, for some children, it may be the only meal they get a day. Making school meals available to everyone is one of the easiest, most effective ways to support children’s health, wellbeing, and future opportunities.

No child should go without, no parent should have to ask school to feed their child. Let's level the playing field. I work in a secondary school and have seen kids go hungry as parents can't top up their parent pay. At least they can vocalise their concerns, primary school aged children can't. Let's get all kids fed and doing their best!

I've lost count of the number of times it has been brought to my attention that a child in my class has not got any lunch. Making sure they eat a nutritious meal every day will make a huge difference to their education and experiences.

Our children are our future the future of this country. Let’s ensure they have all the best opportunities to thrive & grow into happy healthy & successful adults. This starts with them having enough to eat. To be given healthy options. Food for all stops children being singled out as different poor or disadvantaged. Free school meals for all.

I am now a pensioner who was born into an impoverished family in the 1950’s. Even though my circumstances are so much better now, I will never forget the hunger I felt as a child. This experience has remained with me all those years. I am not ashamed to say I even searched dustbins at the local flats in order to supplement my diet. But if we’re only the hunger then you may well forget it. Poverty eats into your soul, undermining your confidence and self esteem and affects your childhood in so many ways. That is why giving every child free meals would remove the stigma and create a level playing field, regardless of your parents wealth.

Too many children go without a healthy nutritious evening meal. Therefore, if every child were allowed a free school dinner, they would receive nourishment at least once a day. For those families that do not receive Universal Credit, they may be struggling financially just like families who do receive this valuable benefit and providing hot healthy meals every day for growing families may not always be possible. We are living in the 21st century. There should not be hunger in the UK any longer, for anyone!

My dear late mother was left with 6 kids to bring up on her own, after the devastating death of my father. We were able to get free school dinners because of our circumstances!! My ma had 3 different jobs so we could be looked after the best way she could do. Without free school dinners, which guaranteed that at least we got a hot meal during the day, we would of been in a very difficult situation, I endorse this petition 100% and very sad that we have to do this, to get kids like me to be able to at least get a good meal!! It should be automatically available to all children nationwide.....

Having worked for school meals service for over 30 years I have seen first hand how much families depend on a free meal for their children. Teachers have regularly brought children to me at 8.30am to ask if I could feed them because they hadn’t had anything since their lunch the previous day. Imagine if they didn’t get a free lunch 😩 also some children are visibly undernourished after a school holiday which brought about the ‘holiday hunger’ lunch clubs.

All parents need the help! My area doesn’t have free breakfast clubs. I don’t qualify for free school meals. London gets free meals when the wages are triple what they are up north. School dinner prices have just gone up again here! It’s a continuous battle to be able to provide balanced meals whilst juggling working and paying for everything on a non increasing wage when everything is going up! It’s worrying.

I am 83 and healthy, from the age of 5 I had school dinners. I believe school meals are the foundation for children to grow and excel in life. Food plays a big part, if they have at least one meal a day it is very important for them, it may be their only food.

I have had to retire early from work to look after 2 SGO children. Unable to get universal credit due to taking my lump sum pension so miss out on free school meals for 1 of them even though they are both previous looked after children in care. I feel this is unacceptable and penalising those that need it the most. All children should have free school meals and not just those in London or meet a certain criteria as those who don't are often worse off for having to pay or provide a lunchbox.

It’s a no brainer. I have 2 kids in primary and the cost with snacks too adds up fast. Tax the large corporations dodging tax and get it paid for!!

I feel very passionate about this because it still affects my children to this day! I am now much older and my children are all grown up but I have seen and felt the hardship myself as a single mother not being able to provide adequate nutrition for my children. At the time I was left with a mortgage and raising two small children alone. They talk about remembering the struggles and not having enough food on the table at home or being able to buy food at school lunchtimes and it makes me realize what a negative impact it has had on them to this day. I think every child in school deserves a hot meal in order to properly learn and grow in a school environment despite the families income and especially today where most hardworking families are struggling and paying for food with credit cards getting more in debt. It’s a vicious cycle that needs to stop. Our younger school years should be filled with happy memories not anxious children with growling tummies not able to concentrate at school. It’s so wrong!

When children can concentrate, they can achieve.

Every child should have free school meals, I see it all the time, children whose parents are working are going hungry, no money in their canteen account, or a packed lunch that wouldn’t fill a bird. People are trying their best, but they are struggling, the government need to do more to help working parents.

The cost of living is rising for everyone and working families are being hit the hardest. It's unfair that only children whose parents recieves benefits get free school meals while many working parents struggle to afford food alongside bills and childcare. Every child deserves a free nutritious meal at school regardless of parents income.

It should be extended to all children in school, primary and secondary.

Me and my brother had free school meals after our dad died. I was 13, he was 12. It made a huge difference to my mum - for 5 days a week, she didn’t have to worry about us having a hot, nourishing meal, it was a life saver, literally. I want that for all children.

It’s disgusting that children go hungry in this country.

I had a stroke with Aphasia 3 years ago and I am still doing phased return to work! I am single with a 9 year old son. I receive PIP allowance but that’s not considered worthy and I am charged for school meals. It's not right! No consideration for what has happened to me. Free schools meals - yes please.

I have spent 20 years teaching children—10 years in mainstream schools and the last 10 working in SEMH settings with some of the most vulnerable children in our education system. Across both settings, I have been struck by how alarmingly similar the signs of hunger are. Hunger affects concentration, behaviour, emotional regulation, relationships and a child’s ability to engage with learning. For many of the children I have supported, difficult family circumstances are rooted not only in poverty, but also in domestic violence and poor parental mental health. These children often carry burdens far beyond their years. They should not also have to carry the burden of hunger. As a Food Technology teacher, I have also witnessed the extraordinary pride young people feel when they make food to take home to their families. Some children have quietly asked if they can make a larger portion so that they can feed their family. That request says more about food insecurity than any statistic ever could. No child should feel responsible for feeding their family. I have seen how a nutritious meal can transform a child’s ability to engage, attend and learn. I urge you to make free school meals available to every child.

The financial pressure on families at the moment is huge. Every child deserves to be well fed and adequate learning can't happen of children aren't properly nourished. Our children should all be a priority.

I was born in 1957 - I had 3 brothers and 2 sisters ,my father couldn’t work he was ill so with out free school meals we would have gone very hungry and I do know what it feels like to be hungry. And little when I think of kids at school going hungry in this day and age it’s so very sad - to be hungry as an adult is bad enough, but as a child it’s always on your mind and you can’t concentrate properly. Don’t let the poor kids suffer any more we all want the best for them.

Working parents pay for everything, being left with very little and still no help. So because of having to pay, I then go and source the cheapest food for packed lunch, bread and butter, cheap crisps. It feels like the parents who work are the ones with suffering with the cheapest stuff because we have to budget every penny, no free milk and bread dropped to us, no help with council tax, mortgage, activities for us, at least feed the child if it’s compulsory to be in school then treat them all fairly. Kids don’t need to know about who's entitled to what. They should all be the same.

Every parent wants to give their children the best possible start in life. Our children came to us after a long IVF journey, which was emotionally and financially difficult. We had to borrow money for treatment, and high interest rates eventually left us struggling with serious debt and even bailiff involvement. We are not receiving Universal Credit or other benefits, but we are still a working family under significant financial pressure. Like many families, we have to carefully manage every penny to cover food, bills and other essentials. This is why I believe free school meals should be available to every child.

It would give parents that are struggling less worry about money, knowing their child is getting a hot meal at school as well. Even more so if the family has more than one child. Please give families that chance.

Because I’m worried about how to afford to give my child quality meals for packed lunch when she gets to Year 2 in addition to what we currently provide. We struggle a lot to pay bills and all.

The simple fact is it’s virtually impossible to be able to listen and learn when you're aching with hunger.

It’s only fair and equitable. It will ensure all children don’t go hungry in school and can focus on their education. It will give all children access to their right to education because if they are hungry they can’t access learning. It is the socially just thing to do.

It means all students will have a hot meal every day & help their learning.

As a practising RN, I experience first-hand how lack of balanced meals impact on the health of the children, families and teachers. No brainer really - Free School Meals for all Primary School Children in England will immensely contribute and improve the health of the nation, easing the pressures on our already struggling NHS.

All children should get school meals up to year 11 definitely. It's so expensive, no wonder some parents can't afford it - packed lunches are so expensive too.

Food should be a nurturing, social and learning experience that many children are losing. One reason: Poverty. Pupils cannot succeed without this basic human need.

I still see students coming to school who are not properly fed. Children who have parents who are too proud to claim universal credit. Children whose parents don't understand how to claim.

It is good that children get a free meal , for some children it might be the only decent meal they get all day.

All children from council primary age 4 and secondery up to age 18 should receive free meals. It is very unfair for kids not to get meals because their parent or guardian works. Those who work a lot of the time cant afford to eat. So this would be a big help, a big weight off all parents, guardians to know that at least their kids will have 1 meal a day.

Children in primary and secondary school should have free school meals. I have worked in secondary schools for 30 years and have seen growing children going through puberty with nothing to eat. Their lunch was watching me eat mine during lunch time clubs. My children during secondary school years had friends who did not eat for 3 days. I had students who did not eat for days, so we had to provide free bread and salad for them at lunch time.

I am Chairman of the Governors of Havannah Primary School. I am totally in favour of free school meals for all primary school children, it means that all the pupils will have a meal at lunch and that means they al will be able to learn in the afternoons. At present this helps so much with the behaviour of the younger pupils so it should be extended for all the pupils.

I work full time and so does my partner and unable to claim UC, with the rising costs of living including bills and food in general each month is a struggle. Having to find £15.55 per week per child for school lunches is hard. We have also tried packed lunches but its harder to buy in small quantities to offer a varied lunch. I think every child should be given the opportunity to have a hot meal, this will also aid learning and their development within school.

The added support and sense of relief knowing my child has a good hot meal in their belly while at school without the financial strain would be extremely beneficial. We're only just getting by as it it is!

So many children are living below the poverty line! Children are literally starving for a hot meal which in turn will help them to focus at school. All children have the right to be fed every day whilst parents are struggling to afford household bills, including food.

I was the convener for the holiday hunger project in Norwich which became a very large union funded programme before COVID. I saw the desperate need. When the media challenged us about families abusing our open door no questions asked policy I said the opposite was true. The real problem was families in need too proud to come forward and seek help.

Coming from a well known and deprived area the Meadow Well in the North East of England, free school meals were not only a God send for my family but for other families also. There was times in my childhood that I knew my mum went without food so she could feed us instead. If these meals were not available myself my brother and sister we would have been hungry as the food available in our home wouldn't have been enough even if my mum didn't eat that day or the next. Therefore, the numbers of children going hungry everyday is larger more widespread and more hidden than we realise. We as a society can do better.

This would mean young people as little as seven years old don't see themselves as a financial burden because of their basic need to eat at school and that our future can be fulfilled with food.

As a mum whose children are benefiting from free school meals, it is such a joy knowing they are enjoying a nutritious meal every day, something that’s key to healthy growth and better concentration in school. Extending Free School Meals to every child in primary school would mean no child is left behind simply because of their family’s financial situation. It removes stigma, ensures every child has the same chance to learn well, and gives parents peace of mind during a time when the cost of living is affecting so many. Universal access would make school a more equal, supportive place for all children, not just some.

Without free school meals I wouldn’t be able to fill a lunch box everyday-it all adds up to what I cannot afford at the moment and I certainly wouldn’t be able to pay for them. They are a necessity for every child and not just primary age, college children too.

For me and my brother they were a lifesaver, my mother was a a very low income and if it were not for school meals we would have gone hungry. Being fed meant we could concentrate and found it easier to learn, thereby able to do my nurse training and have had a rewarding and productive career, now retired after 50 years of working in the NHS. Have a healthy meal at school meant l could concentrate and learn, paving the way to a successful career.

We are working so hard and then still we have to pay around £60 a month for hot decent food as our son struggles to eat packed lunch due to sensory issues with packaging. Don’t punish those who work hard.

I am a great grandma, have been a school governor, I know the importance of food on a child's education. Some children have a little or no breakfast, they need a nutritious dinner to keep them going for the rest of the day both in learning and energy.

As a child growing up in poverty, dinner was often just a sandwich—so my Free School Meal was the only hot, healthy food I received each day, making it one of my fondest memories of school. Today as a parent on benefits, knowing my son is fed a hot meal at school gives me complete peace of mind. During term time, children spend most of their day at school. To my son, school is a place to learn; to me, it's where he is both learning and fed. Please support Free School Meals for All.

Every child deserves access to at least one hot, healthy, non processed meal per day. For many children, school is the only place that they get this. In today's society, and with the cost living crisis, all families are feeling the impact, not just those who are eligible for FSM. If we want equality for our children, and we want all children to have the best possible start to their education, then no child should be left behind.

The cost of living is rising, food and bills are ever increasing. To prevent child poverty and food poverty please make free school meals for all. My husband was a school chef and those children in poverty stricken homes ate every single bit of lunch, always asked for seconds, which were not always available. These children would eat up to 3 slices of toast at breakfast club and were evident by their uniform condition, hygiene and hair condition and their evident hunger in school. The only meal they would have per day.

Children deserve a good breakfast and a decent dinner at school. Not terrible junk or jelly that runs of the plates but real cooked food. No child should go hungry.

All children need a hot meal at lunchtime

Catholic Social Teaching speaks clearly of human dignity and the common good, reminding us of our responsibility to take care of those who are most in need. This is why we support Free School Meals for All. A universal approach recognises that children shouldn't have to prove hardship before they can eat. Free School Meals for All would remove stigma, support families facing fluctuating financial pressures, and give all children a better chance of engaging with the school day. Research we have carried out found that too many children are going to school hungry, and this makes learning harder, impacts confidence and narrows opportunities. If we are to build a society in which every child can flourish, we must extend free school meals so that no child goes without.

Louise Bassett, Chief Executive Officer at Gentoo said: "**We're proud to be supporting this campaign as we believe no child should go hungry at school because of their family's circumstances. Extending Free School Meals to every primary school child would be a simple but transformative step that ensures all children have access to a nutritious meal, helping them learn, thrive and reach their full potential.** **At Gentoo, tackling child poverty is one of our key priorities because strong communities start with giving children the best possible start in life. Through our work across Sunderland, we see the positive impact that accessible support and opportunities can have on children and families. Extending Free School Meals would be a practical way to support children's health, learning and wellbeing, helping communities to flourish for generations to come.** **By extending Free School Meals to all primary school children, the Government can make a lasting investment in children's health, wellbeing and future prospects while helping families who are working hard but continue to face financial challenges."**

Our kids are born into a toxic food environment, and dentists see the results every single day. Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children, and it’s almost entirely preventable. It’s a condition that comes at a cost, in pain, sleepless nights, and a multimillion-pound bill to our NHS. Free school meals is a simple step that would put prevention to work in every school in this country.

Every child deserves a free school meal. Especially since we are all struggling with the cost of living. That also includes children with SEN who unfortunately in my son case is unable to access his education in school due to lack of support in place for him to attend whilst recovering from surgery.

It removes the stigma from free school meals and ensures all children get at least one proper meal a day.

This is one clear way to ensure a better future for the country. Healthy minds and bodies.

No child should go hungry no parent ashamed. Working parents find it hard to pay for food uniforms, bills, extras at school, snacks, photos, trips, most parents/carers are struggling but embarrassed to borrow money to let kids be fed should not have to fight for help to eat.

I work in a secondary school in Liverpool. Every month, in our safeguarding updates, we hear stories of children suffering from neglect. We are told to keep an eye on certain students when we are on duty to check they are eating. We have more and more refugee children whose families get no welfare support. It is beyond belief that not all primary school students get free school meals-it should be true for ALL students in full-time education.

One of my earliest jobs after leaving school in the sixties was as a junior clerk in the School Meals section of a Local Education Authority. At that time meals were directly provided by the LEA. There were enforceable nutritional standards and a fixed (low) price, which was meant to meet the cost of the raw materials with the LEA funding the cost of labour, premises, fuel, etc. Later on, I was a welfare rights worker, and really saw the inefficiencies of means testing at first hand. We had a saying: “Benefits for the poor are always poor benefits”. The most efficient benefit in the UK system was – and no doubt still is – Child Benefit, because it achieves almost 100% take up. The two experiences together convince me that universal free school meals are the only possible route to improving the health, educational prospects and social welfare of all our children. And that view is reinforced by the experience of my Finnish grandchildren. There, children get a free meal regardless of income; they eat together as an integral part of the school day. And during school holidays staff bring sandwiches and soup to parks and playgrounds for the children who are there. Why do our rulers not aspire even to match the provision we had in the sixties, and the provision that other advanced economies make for their children? Is the nation less wealthy now than it was then? Or just less caring?

Free school meals for all primary school children is a must. Healthy, nutritious meals allow children to concentrate, learn and reach their full potential at school.

My grandson went to primary school in a very deprived area in Washington, Tyne and Wear. After he aged out of the national free-school meals provision he still got them. This was because he was a former Looked After Child, and we were on income related benefits. But by Year 3 some of his classmates were having to pay. These were families where only one adult worked, or whoever worked was on minimal hours or low wages. They struggled to pay for the lunches - maybe they had more than 1 school-aged child. The thing that shocked me the most was that the Headteacher told me that the school had many families who had considerable school dinner debts and they resisted chasing these families. When this didn't work they used the schools Emergency Fund to help them. And sometimes teachers brought in packed lunches for those children whose families couldn't even afford these. They were dished out by the dinner ladies, so no-one knew! We know that children and young people learn better if they've had sufficient to eat - hence the breakfast clubs running in many schools. In such a wealthy country, it's totally disgusting that families are living in this type of poverty. Research shows that free school meals are an excellent way to help! A retired teacher, with a grandson now in secondary school.

A child cannot learn if their body is not nourished and their brain is not properly fuelled, and with the rising cost of living, most children only get hot meals when they are in school. Having those meals paid for by the government is the best solution.

Would mean a lot, what with everything going up, knowing my child gets a free dinner or lunch.

Because every child deserves free school meals, especially when many families are struggling financially even with groceries. No child deserves to go without food.

The cost of living crisis means too many families are struggling to put healthy, nutritious meals on the table. Extending free school meals to all primary aged pupils will help families.

All children should be entitled to free schools meals. All children deserve to be fed and looked after in school as we don’t know everyone’s home lives. Whilst they are in our care they should all be treated the same.

There are too many families who cannot afford nutritious, healthy food for their children. There should be an equality in all children having hot dinner and not a divide in just FSM children. It causes a social divide that we could easily fix and it's an easy way to ensure we keep children's health a priority.

Children should be given the best start in life and food should be a necessity not a luxury.

The threshold to receive FSM is startlingly low. It leaves so many families without support and those who suffer most from the oversight are children who are hungry. We must do better.

Children need a consistent learning diet and food diet. Cheaper food is highly processed. In my experience, disadvantaged children are more unhealthy: eating lots of fast food, ready meals and snacks. They are not able to learn when not given the correct fuel for the day. Free school meals for all and fewer packaged lunches would improve health and learning.

As a teacher and parent I see first hand how hard people work to support their family.

Our students deserve every opportunity given to them and they can't take full advantage of these when they're hungry.

It's not just free school meals eligible pupils, other people live up to the limit of their means to pay their mortgage or rent month to month and this would make sure no child goes hungry.

I am a childrens home manager and qualified social worker looking after looked after children by the local authority. I have seen the impact of not having a healthy meal. This should not fall down to class, wage of a parent. Parenting lack of capacity does not discriminate nor does alcohol and substance misuse and I have looked after children from both working class and high income who have neglected children and resulted in children being, abused by deprivation of right to food and water. Some children school dinner is their only hot meal. If all children receive this they feel so not different from one another.

Because the food is too expense and many parents can not afford. We don’t want our children saber from famine while in schools .

My Grandaughter lost her daddy 2 years ago, my daughter does not qualify for support and is struggling as she has the mortgage and all bills to pay from her wage. My daughter has had to change her job & work extended hours to keep their home. Not having to pay £52 a month for school dinner would give her an extra £624 a year would ease some of the pressure! At current prices if school lunches were provided they would be £1872 better off over the 3 years left in primary school!

Every child deserves to be fed! Whether you're on any sort of benefits or not, with the cost of living going up people are struggling to afford basic needs such as food! If you want children to do well on school, then let’s give them the opportunity of nice warm food, especially now the weather is changing.

Children should be having a healthy hot meal at school and parents should not be expected to pay for this!

As an ex teacher and SENCO, and a grandparent of 6, I have experienced the impact of hunger and poor nutrition on concentration and learning in the classroom, and the difference it makes to a child's overall wellbeing.

Some families are struggling to feed their children and a hungry child cannot learn in school. This makes sure that children have at least one cooked meal a day.

Children need good sustenance in the middle of the day to help boost their learning.

I had school dinners as a child, am now 77 and although my mother paid for them it ensured we ate a meal.

Because life and bills are hard enough, a school meal should be provided or even a small charge of like 50p but when its £1.20 just for one drink, its ridiculous.

What your income is should not dictate whether or not your child gets free school meals. There is a lot that happens behind the scene that is not present on the money coming in. Every child and parent should have the ability to know there is a warm nutritional meal waiting for them regardless of what is happening at home

Not everyone has an income coming in as a family. I have my husband working and I am a full time carer for my mother with dementia and mobility problems and carers allowance is nothing. With everything increasing, they should support kids with families.