Expanding Universal Free School Meals to All

As part of the STUC Women’s Committee anti-poverty work – the Women’s Committee have been lobbying the Scottish Government to expand Universal Free School Meals to all nursery, primary, and secondary school pupils in Scotland. Despite living in one of the wealthiest and most advanced nations in the world, the scale of poverty and inequality in Scotland remains unacceptably high. The coronavirus pandemic, combined with decades of austerity and neglect to public services has contributed to the exacerbation of pre-existing inequalities and intensified poverty in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has committed to significantly reducing Child Poverty by 2030, with a view of ultimately eradicating it. However, the reality is that Poverty in Scotland continues to deepen, and without immediate action, the scale of poverty and inequality will continue to rise. The roots of poverty and the poverty-related attainment gap stretch well beyond the school gates, but the significant role our educational institutions play in tackling poverty, challenging inequality, and helping to build a healthier, more inclusive society cannot be underestimated.

That is why the STUC Women’s Committee is demanding that the Scottish Government expand Universal Free School Meals to All with immediate effect, and fully invest in Local Government to ensure that there is adequate and fair funding across all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities to help tackle hunger, poverty, and inequality. Hunger and Poverty-related stigma and shame know no age boundaries. Firm and decisive action on poverty in Scotland cannot be further delayed.

Expanding Free School Meals to all will:

  • Help to tackle hunger, food insecurity and contribute to closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
  • Shatter the long-standing stigma and shame associated with Free School Meals.
  • Embed a whole-school community approach to nutrition, food, health, and wellbeing.
  • Increase uptake
  • Support working families
  • Meet Children and Young People’s human rights and address Inequality.

The campaign to expand UFSMs to all is winnable. Please support the campaign and demand the Scottish Government to expand Universal Free School Meals to All.

For more information or to get involved please contact STUC Equality and Policy Officer, Erin McAuley, emcauley@stuc.org.uk