A POLL found that 79 per cent of Barrow and Furness voters are pro-free school meals for children living in families supported by benefits.

The study, by the Food Foundation, collated data by taking a national sample of 8,000 respondents.

Barrow falls in line with the national figure which found eight out of ten people in England support the government providing free school meals for children in households receiving Universal Credit. 

The Food Foundation highlighted the support for free school meals and balanced it against Child Poverty Action data which shows that 24.9 per cent of children live in poverty. 

There are two definitions of 'poverty' in the UK. The Children's Commissioner defines relative poverty as 60 per cent of the average median household income this year and absolute poverty at 60 per cent of the median net household income in 2010/11. 

According to a YouGov survey in January 2023 21.6 per cent of households across the UK 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 per cent in January 2022. The Food Foundation also argues that England lags far behind the devolved nations. Scotland and Wales are rolling out Universal Free School Meals in primary schools, and in Northern Ireland, the income threshold is double that of England (£14,000).

READ MORE: Council leader urges education minister to extend free school meals

In December last year, the council provided £1.5 million to local schools to support the provision of nutritious food to pupils.

In January Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young wrote to the secretary of state for education Gillian Keegan about free school meals. 

The letter asked the government to increase the funding allowed for free school meals in line with inflation. 

As inflation has driven up costs, schools have been forced to meet the shortfall from elsewhere in their budget, or in some cases compromise on the quantity or quality of food offered.

Cllr Young also asked the government to ensure funding matches changes in the number of pupils eligible for free school meals and to extend eligibility for free school meals to all children under 16 living in a household with an income of less than £20,000.