A report from LGBTQ+ charity Just Like Us has found queer secondary school pupils who receive free school meals, which are given to children from lower income families, are more likely to struggle with dependence on alcohol or substances.
The survey, which interviewed 3,000 students, found 6% of all secondary school pupils who receive free meals reported experiencing addiction, compared to only 3% of those in higher income families.The addiction rates in LGBTQ+ students from low income families was even higher at 9% of all pupils in this category.
Of all LGBTQ+ teens eligible for free school meals, 64% said they worried about their mental health on a daily basis, compared to 35% of non-LGBTQ+ pupils from lower income families.