The BBCA 5p increase in government funding to provide free school meals to schools is “not enough” amid rising food costs, a catering director has said.
The Department for Education (DfE) has increased funding for pupils eligible for free school dinners to £2.58 per meal.
But Adam Curtis, of Dulles School Catering in Manchester, said it costs more to provide food, which means school kitchens have to subsidize the rest or change what they offer.
“Every caterer has to take some money off the food plate,” he said.
“The latest free school meals increase means maybe around 15/20p will come off a child’s lunch plate,” he added.
The government confirmed. The rate will rise by 5p. For 2024 to 2025, the date before the start of the academic year.
Colleges, independent learning providers and sixth forms can fund free meals for disadvantaged students aged 16 to 18.
Infants are guaranteed free school meals in England but children in Year 3 and above need £7,400 per year to qualify. Must be in households on Universal Credit with low incomes.
This limit has not changed since 2018, meaning 100,000 (one in four) school-age children in poverty in the North West cannot claim free meals. A report
Constant review
Mr Curtis said even a “small increase” in funding for free meals could affect some schools more than others.
“In catering it’s all about scale, so for us in a small rural school it might be £4 per meal to cater for 50 pupils but we can do it for £2.15/£2.20 in a large school. 900 enrolled in London,” he said.
“It’s very likely that small, rural schools will have to significantly increase the cost of meals, they already do.
“A lot of smaller schools are paying £3.50 or £4, and it can still be more than that.
“You can’t have just one meal price for all schools”.
A DfE representative said funding was continually reviewed and action taken to address the challenges facing struggling families.
“Next year we are tripling our investment in breakfast clubs to more than £30m, with 750 schools offering free meals and childcare from April 2025,” he said.
He added that the government will continue to fund free lunch for more than three lakh students.