The visit follows the Labour Government announcing the expansion of free school meal entitlement to over half a million more children nationwide from September 2026. The Government says this initiative will put £500 in the back pockets of struggling parents every year.
Morgan made the visit to discuss and observe first-hand the importance of providing children with the nutrition that they need to have a productive day within school, ahead of the delivery of daily free meals for over 10,000 schoolchildren in Portsmouth.
Research has shown that giving children the access to a nutritious meal during the school day leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour and better outcomes – meaning they get the best possible education and chance to succeed in work and life.
Morgan commented: “I know from conversations with local people, and my time in the Department for Education, how much the stain of child poverty has impacted families in Portsmouth. My visit with The School Food People to Penbridge Infant School allowed me a valuable opportunity to chat with catering school about the importance of daily nutrition to every child so that every child can succeed and thrive.
“I am proud to have voted for the expansion of free school meals entitlement. This decisive and much needed measure will lift Portsmouth’s children out of poverty and put money back in the pockets of this city’s parents. I have always strongly believed that all children, regardless of their background, deserve the best start in life. Labour is delivering this through our Plan for Change.”
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year, meaning hundreds of thousands of children living in poverty have been unable to access free school meals under the previous Government.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures. My Government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.
“This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”
Following the visit, Morgan wrote to the Chancellor Rachel Reeves setting out the issues and challenges raised and discussed at Penbridge Infant School in Fratton.