Parents send Keir Starmer stark message on free school meals and cost of living

Parents send Keir Starmer stark message on free school meals and cost of livingAround a third of parents of primary school-aged kids have had to cut the quantity and quality of their food shop since the start of the school year in September, grim polling showsCommentsNewsSophie Huskisson Political Correspondent00:01, 23 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesSome 57% of parents of primary-aged kids said extending hot free lunches would have a positive impact on their family finances(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Almost all parents with primary-aged kids (89%) support extending free school meals for all primary school pupils in England, polling shows today.‌Some 57% said extending hot free lunches would have a positive impact on their family finances. The clear support for free school meals comes as the study revealed around a third of the parents (31%) have had to cut the quantity and quality of their food shop since the start of the school year in September.‌Some 64% of this group have cut down on red meat, while more than a quarter (27%) have reduced their cheese, eggs or dairy purchases and a similar amount (26%) have limited fresh vegetables.‌The Mirror has long campaigned for free school meals for all primary students along with the National Education Union (NEU), which conducted the survey along with YouGov.In a major victory for our campaign, free hot lunches will be extended to all kids in families on universal credit (UC) - benefitting more than half a million children - from September. But the NEU warns that means-testing will always leave some children and families behindREAD MORE: School lunch shake-up to ban deep-fried food and staple desserts - see new menusView 2 ImagesMayor Sadiq Khan extended free school meals to all primary school kids in 2023(Image: PA)‌Its survey shows 56% of parents not on UC said free school meals for all would have a positive impact on their family finances, while 44% said the same about their mental wellbeing.Among parents not on UC, 28% ar...