In January 2023 21.6% of households reported that their children had directly experienced food insecurity in the past month, affecting an estimated 3.7 million children. This is compared with 11.6% in January 2022.
The data from a national sample of 8,000 respondents, show 80% people in England now support the Government providing free school meals for children in households receiving Universal Credit. When the public were surveyed in October 2022, there was 72% support for expansion of free school meals.
Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation, said: “We have been tracking these trends for some time and the levels of food insecurity among children continue to be terribly concerning, and point to big holes in the Government’s safety net.
“These latest findings now show the public is overwhelmingly in favour of greater Government support for the millions of families suffering the worst effects of the cost of living crisis. By extending free school meals to more children in England in the next budget, the Government could deliver a policy change that is popular with voters, targeted and timely, and truly delivers on levelling up.”
According to the Food Foundation support for the policy is high in a raft of key marginal seats at risk of being lost by the Conservatives in the next election, and in constituencies held by the Prime Minister and his most senior cabinet ministers.
Key findings:
- Strong support for free school meal expansion in constituencies represented by Rishi Sunak, Jeremy Hunt, Dominic Raab, Steve Baker and Matt Vickers, where around 80% of voters say they want to see more children helped.
- Similar calls for policy change in areas held by Jacob Rees-Mogg (82% support), Penny Mordaunt (80% support), and numerous Conservative ‘red wall’ seats, some held by MPs with wafer-thin majorities.
