Thousands less children are getting free school dinners since Universal Credit (UC) was rolled out across Northern Ireland.
Families earning £14,000 or less each year after tax can claim free school meals for their children because they are living in poverty.
As deprivation levels have risen, so too have the numbers of kids entitled to free school meals since 2010, but the stats took a downward turn from 102,127 in 2016-17 to 99,142 in the past year.
Chief executive of Children in Northern Ireland, Pauline Leeson CBE, believes families are going hungry throughout the year.
She said: “The situation on the ground is critical.
Pre-school places - What to do if your child doesn't get their first choice
“Parents are at crisis point and going to bed hungry while they try their best to cater to their children’s emotional and physical needs at the same time as stressing about money.
“The support that is needed for these families cannot be underestimated.”
Children in Northern Ireland believe the drop in free school meals could be “related to Universal Credit” or in part because of “the stigma surrounding” them.
A Department for Education spokesperson said the rising number of kids getting free school meals up to 2016-17 was down to a working tax credit extension to include secondary pupils in September 2014.
Katherine Jenkins invites School Choir of the Year 2019 winners to sing with her in Belfast
They don’t believe UC affected the 2017-18 drop as no one applied under the new terms in September or October 2017, adding: “Whilst, it may be responsible in part for the decrease reported in 2018/19, it is likely that there were existing/other factors involved.”
“The introduction of phase 1 of Universal Credit completed in NI in December 2018,” they continued.
“The date to commence the next phase of moving legacy claims to Universal Credit – Managed Migration - has not been confirmed for NI.”
But they said: “Forecasting suggests Universal Credit criterion for free school meals should have an overall effect of increasing the numbers of pupils eligible by around 2,000 at the end of the roll out of Universal Credit in NI.
“The full impact of the new Universal Credit criterion for free school meals will not be known until the managed migration is complete and Universal Credit is fully implemented in NI.”
A Department for Communities spokesperson said: “We would be unable to advise if the drop in numbers was a result of Universal Credit.
“Applications to the free school meal scheme are assessed through the Education Authority on behalf of the Department for Education.
“A household where the net annual earnings are £14,000 or below is eligible to claim.
Autism diagnosed in twice as many kids as six years ago
“Those claimants on Universal Credit must complete an Education Authority form SM1/SC1 and send this directly to the Education Authority along with their most recent Universal Credit claimant statement.”
Whatever the reason for the drop in numbers of children getting a free school dinner, thousands less children are benefiting from a hearty meal they might not be getting at home.
“It is heart breaking to see so many children, young people and their families in need,” Children in Northern Ireland’s Ms Leeson added.
Exam stress pushing some young people to self-harm and suicidal thoughts
“It is clear that much more needs to be done to promote free school meals to ensure that all those children and young people who are entitled receive them but also we would like Government to support the provision of holiday hunger clubs such as ours.”
They are also concerned what happens outside term time when those who do have school free dinners could be going hungry.
That is why the charity provides lunch and activities for those children over summer in a bid to stave off “holiday hunger”.
They have always been concerned “free school meals are, in effect, a benefit which is only available for part of the year” and said there is an “increasing demand for food during non term time”.
“It is clear that much more needs to be done to promote free school meals to ensure that all those children and young people who are entitled receive them but also we would like Government to support the provision of holiday hunger clubs such as ours.”
Numbers entitled to school meals in last 10 years:
2010-11: 64,139 pupils (20.2%) – up 6,215
2011-12: 73,314 pupils (23.1%) - up 9,175
2012-13: 79,810 pupils (25.0%) - up 6,496
2013-14: 81,826 pupils (25.5%) – up 2,016
Northern Ireland teenager gets to play centuries old instrument in Ulster Youth Orchestra
2014-15: 97,518 pupils (29.7%) - up 13,232
2015-16: 101,063 pupils (30.6%) - up 3,545
2016-17: 102,127 pupils (30.7%) - up 1,064
2017-18: 100,254 pupils (29.9%) - down 1,873
2018-19: 99,142 pupils (29.3%) - down 1,112
Keep up-to-date with all the very latest news, what's on, sport and everything else in Belfast and beyond with the Belfast Live app.
Only select news that interests you by picking the topics you want to display on the app's homepage. Plus, our enhanced user experience includes live blogs, video, interactive maps and slick picture galleries. Download it now and get involved.
Click here to get it from the App Store or here for Google Play .
