Free school meals: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

This Equality Impact Assessment has assessed the potential impact of stopping the expansion of the free school meals programme to those in Primaries 6 and 7 (universally). The policy is intended to be a positive benefit to pupils and their families.

The EQIA has considered relevant data related to the protected characteristics of age, disability, sex, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnership the evidence we have gathered which indicates potentially different impacts upon persons with protected characteristics or whether there is an opportunity to improve equality in an area.

There was limited information available in relation to the following protected characteristics, although we consider that having these protected characteristics will not prevent access to free school meals due to other eligibility criteria related to financial circumstances are already in place:

• Pregnancy and maternity
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage or civil partnership

In line with the requirements of the general equality duty, we have considered the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the act;
• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not; and
• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

Our findings were informed from data Including; statistical information from Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland 2020-23 and Summary statistics for schools in Scotland 2023. Further evidence considered also included, the tackling child poverty delivery plan, Best Start, Bright Futures, the report from Child Poverty Action Group on the cost of the school day.

Our 2023 healthy living survey found that 231,957 free school lunches were provided to children and young people on survey day. This represents an increase from the previous high of the 215,053 free lunches provided in 2022.

The proportion of eligible pupils taking a free school meal has also increased on the previous year to 70.4% from 67.2%. Our pupil census shows that over half of pupils are now registered for free school meals, this includes universal and those legally eligible pupils.

In 2015 NHS Health Scotland commissioned research on the policy for the expansion of universal Free School Meals roll out in primary 1 to 3 meals (the full report can be found here Evaluating universal infant free school meals, Scotland: second monitoring report of school-meal uptake.

The evaluation, published in 2016, found that the majority of schools and local authorities had implemented the policy successfully within a year. However barriers to implementation included having enough experienced, well-trained staff in place, infrastructure constraints, time pressures, space constraints, and concerns around policy communication and engagement.

The evaluation also highlighted that there were facilitators which aided implementation, including well trained catering and dining hall support staff, improvements to infrastructure and equipment, changes to dining arrangements, and partnership working between catering and education stakeholders.

The evaluation found that the most significant impact of universal provision has been increased uptake of school meals, particularly on days when popular menu choices are available. Families on low incomes, and families on higher incomes with significant demands on that income, were perceived to have benefited most. It should be noted that concerns were raised that a universal policy for primaries 1-3, with many well-off families benefitting, was seen at the expense of less well-off families with children in primaries 4-7.

Universal entitlements to free school meals mean the impact on child poverty is at least diluted.

Free School Meals are counted as a source of income when measuring poverty targets, as is clothing grant, in establishing median income^[1]. So the recent expansion[s] of FSM, and associated spend, have a negative impact on child poverty targets. The impact may not be significant but there is an unintended effect when considered through this lens. Therefore it would appear that the SCP option would be a more targeted/cost effective option considered through a child poverty perspective.

In terms of whether universal or targeted approaches are preferred, there are clear benefits to both, however these relate to different outcomes for children and young people. Universal options are established through research to have benefits to outcomes which are related to wellbeing and learning, dependent, naturally, upon uptake. However, options aligned to Scottish Child Payment are believed to provide better benefits against outcomes aligned to child poverty.