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The problem

Of 8.4 million school children in England, 3.4 million are eligible for free school meals and just under 2 million are eligible through the means-tested system.

Inflation and the cost-of-living crises has pushed more households into poverty, meaning many families are now food insecure. Increasing access to school meals is a therefore potentially effective way of protecting children’s health and wellbeing.

Policymakers are concerned about budget impact from providing universal access, and although some evidence exists on the costs and benefits of alternative policy options, more research is needed to cover the range of options available.

The intervention

This project is exploring whether there are routes to increasing free or subsidised school meals in a way that is economically sustainable. Policy options considered have been informed by stakeholder consultation combined with evidence review.

The aim is that increased uptake of school meals can lead to direct health and education benefits for pupils and wider benefits to society.

The research

Primary research question

What are the costs and benefits of a range of options for increasing access to free and/or subsidised primary school meals from a societal perspective?

Theory of change

More about the research

Two economic models (PricewaterhouseCoopers and Institute for Fiscal Studies: IFS) have been published. Our evaluation has built on this knowledge using model-based cost benefit analysis (CBA) adapted from the Manchester Combined Authority CBA tool.

To agree the model scope and policy options, we conducted interviews with stakeholders in local and regional government authorities, primary school research partners, and with academic and policy experts.

We conducted an evidence review for model parameters, and primary data collection from parents and guardians to inform the model parameters.

We conducted a survey with parents of children through YouGov.

Outputs and impacts

The initial results of the CBA are available as a pre-print paper. Further academic papers are in progress to share the results of the qualitative inquiry with the key stakeholders, and to present the results of the survey with parents.

A policy briefing has been shared with the West Midlands Combined Authority and the preliminary CBA results were also cited in the House of Lords Select Committee inquiry on Food, Diet and Obesity.

Further iterations of the CBA are in progress and being informed by discussions with policy makers as well as academic feedback.

Research Team