Free school meals extended to all families on universal credit

The announcement comes as part of the government’s new expansion plan and to say it has been well-received would be an understatement.

Yesterday (Wednesday 4^th June) the UK government unveiled plans to offer free school meals to children whose families claim universal credit. The news has been welcomed with open arms as, currently, households in England who claim the benefit must earn below £7,400 a year to qualify their children for free school meals.

According to the Department for Education, the extension is due to commence at the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

While unveiling the news, prime minister Keir Starmer said: ‘Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the strain of poverty, and set children up to learn.

‘This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering out Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.’

To give context on how needed this change is, the latest figures show almost 2.1 million pupils in England were eligible for free school meals in January 2024.

‘it’s really positive to see the government now taking concrete measures to reduce the unacceptable levels of child poverty in the UK,’ Paul Kissack, chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said. ‘With 4.5 million children currently in poverty, expanding free school meals eligibility is a critical first step to relieve some pressure on family budgets ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy.

‘We look forward to seeing a coordinated strategy which builds on this, with ambitious measures to boost household income and ensure all children get the best start in life, unhindered by hunger or hardship.’

Echoing a similar tone, Kate Anstey, head of education policy at the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), said the announcement is ‘fantastic news’ and ‘a game-changer for children and families’.

‘At last, more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive and millions of parents struggling to make ends meet will get a bit of breathing space,’ Kate continued.

‘We hope this is a sign of what’s to come in autumn’s child poverty strategy, with government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK.’

Photo by Obi via UnSplash

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