Sun, 04 Jan 2026

Sun, 04 Jan 2026 Price increase on school meals will 'acutely' affect children in poverty

The cost of a school dinner for primary and special school pupils will go up by 50p from £2.60 to £3.10.

* Northern Ireland's Commissioner for Children and Young People, Chris Quinn, has expressed concern that school meal price increases will "acutely" affect children living in poverty.
* The Education Authority (EA) is facing a £300m funding gap and prices for primary and special school pupils' meals will rise by 50p to £3.10 from January.
* Post-primary pupils face a 19% price increase, while pre-school prices will also go up.
* Pupils on free school meals will not be affected by the price rises.
* Mr Quinn has called for "universal free school meals" and said that food inflation is having a major impact on families.
* A mother of three who shops around for deals on school meals said she may have to cut back on her children's hot meals if the cost increase continues.
* A self-employed individual expressed support for universal free school meals, saying working people are struggling too.
* The EA has defended the price increases, citing a 35% inflation rate since 2017/18.
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