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An MLA has expressed concern after it was revealed that the number of families eligible for free school meals and uniform grants fell by more than 3,000 in just two years. SDLP Opposition Communities Spokesperson Mark H Durkan warned that government inaction and policy choices are deepening hardship for families. Speaking after a response to a question in the Assembly uncovered the sharp reduction, Mr Durkan said that families had contacted him to inform him that they had been refused support due to a "lack of clarity" with Universal Credit assessment periods. “It’s deeply concerning to see such a significant reduction in the number of children receiving free school meals and uniform grants, down by around 3,000 in just two years. This is as a direct consequence of the reduction in eligibility thresholds under Universal Credit , something that I warned about but was ignored," he said. “At a time when inflation and the cost of living continue to bite, we should be expanding access to support not reducing it. Instead, families are being pushed further to the brink. I’m hearing every day from parents struggling with uniform bills, transport, and everyday household costs and this latest blow only makes life harder. “Parents are telling me they’ve been refused support simply because their monthly Universal Credit assessment pushed them just above the £1,250 threshold even though their income the following month falls well below it. I’ve raised this issue with Ministers repeatedly, yet there has been no clear communication from the department encouraging parents to reapply in the next assessment period. This lack of clarity is unacceptable and is leaving many families losing out on crucial support. The response received by Mr Durkan from the Education Minister , Paul Givan, showed that in 2022/23, there were 56,207 successful applications for Free School Meals and 53,286 successful Uniform Grant applications. This fell to 53,154 Free School Meal applications in 2024/25 and 50,054 successful Uniform Grant applications. This comes as the Education Authority announced an increase in the cost of school meals in recent weeks. “The decision from the Department of Education to increase school meals by 20% will impact many already struggling families. I absolutely understand that the cost of food has skyrocketed but the solution cannot be to push the burden onto families," Mark H Durkan added. “We can’t keep balancing budgets on the backs of children and families. So much for an Executive that claims to be tackling poverty, the reality is that these decisions are entrenching it." For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our politics newsletter here.
