School Meal Price Rise To Hit Struggling Families

A rise in school meal prices from January has prompted fresh alarm in Northern Ireland, with campaigners saying families already under pressure will feel the pinch most. The Education Authority (EA) has raised primary and special school meal prices by 50p — from £2.60 to £3.10 — the first increase since 2017. The EA says it faces a funding shortfall of about £300m and does not expect extra money during the year. That gap has forced a raft of savings, and the authority previously advised headteachers to curb hiring and limit cover for absent staff. Now, the savings are being passed directly to parents: post-primary pupils will see food prices rise by around 19%, and pre-school meal charges are increasing too. The changes took effect on 1 January 2026. Pupils who qualify for free school meals are protected from the hike. But that still leaves many families strained: roughly 210,000 school meals are served daily across Northern Ireland, and about 90,000 pupils receive them free of charge. The EA also says producing a school meal costs, on average, £4.28 — showing the charge remains below actual cost and underlining the scale of the funding squeeze. Children’s rights campaigners want a more radical solution. Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People called for a rethink of how meals are provided and backed the idea of universal free school meals. He warned food price inflation is soaring and said increasing charges risks damaging pupils’ health, well‑being and capacity to learn — particularly for families who earn too much to qualify for help but too little to absorb extra costs. Parents interviewed described immediate consequences. One mother of three said she now has to shop around and batch‑cook to keep hot meals on the table, and will reconsider how many days a week her children have school dinners. A self‑employed father argued every child should get at least one free meal at school, noting that many working households are also struggling. Trade unions protested the EA’s plans in December, highlighting concern among staff and parents alike. With inflation estimated to have risen about 35% since 2017 — the last time prices were adjusted — the EA insists action was unavoidable. But the debate now centres on whether incremental price rises are the fairest route, or whether broader policy changes are needed to prevent more children from missing out on a hot meal at school. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.bbc.co.uk | Read original article