School meal prices in Northern Ireland will rise for a second consecutive year in January, with post-primary pupils paying 15% more for canteen purchases and set meals in pre-school, primary and special schools increasing by 30p.
The Education Authority said the amount families pay would still be well below the average cost of producing a school meal, which it estimates at more than £5.20.
The latest increase follows rises in January 2026, when primary and special school dinners went up by 50p and post-primary pupils were told canteen food would cost almost 20% more. For a paid primary or special school dinner, the combined effect will take the price from £2.60 at the start of 2026 to £3.40. Pupils eligible for free school meals will not be affected.
Students say lunch money no longer covers a hot meal
At Malone Integrated College in Belfast, 17-year-old Robert-Frederic said the earlier increase had already made paying for lunches harder for students. Before the 2026 rise, pupils could buy water, a cookie and a hot meal; now many are “struggling just to get a hot meal,” he said. He urged decision-makers to look beyond “numbers on a page” and see how the prices affect people.
More than half of pupils at Malone Integrated College, 55%, are entitled to free school meals, but many others come from low-income households.
Naomi, 17, said it was distressing to see classmates unable to afford school meals. She said the higher prices also put pressure on parents, and that going without proper lunches can affect pupils’ learning and mental health.
For 16-year-old Paddy, the last price increase forced him to change what he buys at the canteen. He said one of his favorite foods, school chicken, rose from around £2.20 to £2.60. With £5 a day to spend and £2.50 needed for the bus, he said he has to prioritize getting to school.
Áine Leslie, the school’s headteacher, said the cumulative effect of the increases will be immense, particularly for families with several children in both primary and post-primary school who are trying to make ends meet. When prices rose earlier this year, she recalled sitting with the cafeteria manager and making the painful decision about how much to add to each item.
Leslie said some students worry about the stigma attached to needing help and will not voice their concerns or ask for assistance. She added that not having a healthy, balanced diet, or going without food, is a barrier to learning.
Education funding dispute drives costs
The Education Authority described its financial position as exceptionally challenging. Along with higher prices, some school menus will change, with baked desserts replaced by cheaper alternatives.
Education Minister Paul Givan said he was disappointed and concerned by the increase, but said it resulted from underfunding across the education sector. He said he did not want the rise to be introduced, but that the Education Authority did not have sufficient funding.
Givan said education often bears the greatest burden during cost-saving exercises and argued that his department should receive a larger share of Stormont’s budget. He also said inadequate funding from Westminster was bearing down on a wide range of public services in Northern Ireland. Stormont ministers have yet to agree a budget after weeks of talks with Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant, who has repeatedly said there is no more money.
At Omagh High School in County Tyrone, almost 30% of pupils receive free school meals. Principal Christos Gaitatzis said the increase could deter families who pay for meals from giving their children nutritious food. He called the 15% rise excessive, noting that the current price index is around 3% to 5% and that a similar increase would be more reasonable. He said the school meal increase is about three times that level and would have an overall future impact on children’s health.
Chris Quinn, Northern Ireland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, said he was “flabbergasted” by the change. He said school meals are not a luxury but an essential part of the school day for many children, and that the increases will hit hardest families already struggling with the cost of living.
Quinn said another price rise was particularly difficult to accept shortly after the Education Authority advised staff and pupils to wear more clothes to reduce school heating bills. He added that children did not create the financial crisis in education and should not be expected to pay the price for it.
Other savings measures under consideration
Payments that subsidize milk at about 500 schools are at risk, although the Education Authority will seek funding from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. The authority also plans to offer more parents payments to transport their children to school rather than paying for taxis. At present, some parents receive payments if their children are eligible for free school transport but no private provider, such as a taxi, is available. Charges for Education Authority music lessons are also set to rise again.
The Education Authority said it was being asked to deliver services with insufficient funding while costs such as school energy continued to rise. It hopes to save £20 million through the measures, on top of £30 million saved this year.
The authority said the decisions were difficult and sought to balance its commitment to children and young people with the requirement to live within the funding allocated for the year.