Free school meal controversy

How are opinions changing?

The House of Commons last month rejected legislation that would have provided free meals to children during the upcoming school holidays. This report delves into the public opinion and initiatives to counter the situation. Government agencies and NGO’s can leverage this data in their decision making.

The UK government’s refusal to extend its free meals scheme for children during all school holidays from October through the Easter break has led to a lot of criticism, with celebrities like Marcus Rashford, as well as the general public, coming together in support of the cause. While councils across the country are providing vouchers for meals, several restaurants have been offering food to vulnerable children despite being impacted by the pandemic themselves. With the second lockdown likely to make the situation worse, what do Britons think about this controversial decision? Piplsay polled 9,409 people to get some insights. Here is a summary of what we found:

Other Insights

• 54% of men support the government’s decision to stop the free meal scheme as compared to 46% of women
• 58% of Gen Zers are donating food or money for the cause compared to 42% of Gen Xers
• 64% of Millennials and 59% of Gen Xers think the govt should reverse its decision and extend the free meal scheme

Survey Methodology: This Piplsay survey (powered by Market Cube) was conducted in the UK from November 3-6, 2020. We received 9,409 online responses from individuals aged 18 years and older.