However, giving every schoolchild a free meal might cost more than £200 million annually.

It would be less expensive to offer a free meal to solely elementary school students or younger students. The numbers are included in a consultation on uniform grants and free lunches that the department has released.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has made lunches at the city's state elementary schools free for all students. All primary school students in Wales are entitled to free school meals by default; however, secondary students who qualify must still apply.

The Scottish government abandoned its pledge to provide free school lunches to all primary school students in September. A stipend to assist parents in covering the expense of food over the school break was previously discontinued by the Northern Ireland Department of Education.

Paul Givan, the minister of education, is examining the requirements for receiving funding for school uniforms and free school lunches.

At the moment, elementary school students receive uniform subsidies of £42.90, while post-primary students can receive up to £93.60. His administration is already investigating the possibility of imposing a price cap on Northern Ireland's school uniforms.