8,793 free school meal applicants in Derry
More children in Derry are in receipt of free school meals than in any other area of the north, bar West and North Belfast.
The number of young people entitled to free meals has declined marginally over the past five years in Foyle.
In 2017/18, 9,106 pupils in Derry were awarded an entitlement to free school meals after making an Education Authority’s free school meal application.
This decreased to 8,793 last year.
West Belfast (10,794) had the highest number of applicants in 2021/22, followed by North Belfast (10,450).