Analysis of government data this week by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) estimates that as many as 900,000 children who are living in poverty do not qualify for FSMs due to the restrictive criteria.
FSMs are universal for children in reception and years 1 and 2, but are means-tested from year 3. For a family on Universal Credit to qualify, their combined household income must be £7,400 or less excluding benefit payments.
Increasingly, however, local areas are introducing universal FSMs to some degree. This includes Southwark, Newham, Islington, Westminster and Tower Hamlets in London, which all offer universal FSMs for primary children, with Tower Hamlets recently announcing the roll-out of universal FSMs, in secondary schools.
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