No child left hungry: How tech is helping tackle poverty through free school meals

Child poverty in Britain is not just a statistic, it’s a story that plays out daily in classrooms, lunch halls, and family kitchens. The government’s £1 billion investment in tackling child poverty and its pledge to lift 100,000 children out of hardship is a bold step forward. But the question remains in how we ensure that this money delivers tangible impact where it’s needed most. 

The answer begins with Free School Meals (FSM). Too often framed as a welfare benefit, FSM is in fact a powerful tool for social mobility. A meal at midday can mean improved concentration, better attendance, and most importantly the unlocking of premium funding that equips schools to level the playing field. In other words, FSM is not charity but should be viewed as infrastructure for equity. 

How smarter systems can help close the gap

The challenge lies in being able to identify the children that need support. Across the UK, more than 1.45 million children are eligible for FSM, yet many still fall through the cracks because of outdated processes and fragmented data. 

This was the case in Plymouth, where thousands of children were at risk of being overlooked until the council integrated their data to connect the dots across education, social care, housing, and health using MRI Software’s Single View solution. By breaking down silos, they were able to identify more than 1,000 additional children and families in need; people who would otherwise have gone unnoticed. 

At MRI Software, we see this challenge every day. Our FSM solution currently supports 724,000 children across 37 local authorities; half of the eligible population nationwide. Through the Citizen Portal, parents can check eligibility instantly and apply online, while local authorities gain reliable, real-time data that feeds directly into school systems. This means fewer barriers for families, less manual processing for staff, and higher accuracy for funding decisions. 

The funding ripple effect

Every child enrolled in FSM represents more than a meal; it represents critical funding for their school. Missed applications translate into lost funding; resources that could otherwise fund teaching assistants, literacy programmes, or extracurricular support. 

By ensuring FSM data is captured cleanly and consistently, MRI is supporting schools maximise this funding and ensure it is targeted where it can make the greatest difference. It’s not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about creating the conditions for every child to learn, thrive, and succeed. 

From policy to practice

The government’s £1 billion pledge sets a clear ambition, but ambition alone doesn’t deliver change. Local authorities and schools need the right tools to translate national policy into local impact. Technology is not the whole solution to child poverty, but it is the enabler that ensures investment reaches children quickly, fairly, and transparently. 

That’s why it’s time for the sector to take a hard look at how FSM is delivered and managed. Outdated, manual processes are no longer fit for purpose when the stakes are this high. MRI Software’s FSM solution has already demonstrated how smarter systems can reduce administrative burdens, capture accurate data, and unlock vital funding for schools.  

As councils and education leaders plan how to use the government’s £1 billion investment, reviewing and modernising FSM delivery should be a priority because when we get it right, the benefits extend far beyond a single meal: they open the door to equity, opportunity, and brighter futures for every child.