Government to expand free school meals to 500,000 more children

Half a million more children in England will benefit from free schools meals from next year as the government expands the scheme.

From September 2026 any child in England whose parents receive Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals – currently households must earn less than £7,400 a year to qualify.

The government said this would save parents £500 a year and will “lift 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty”.

This new entitlement will apply to children in all settings where free school meals are currently delivered, including schools, school-based nurseries and Further Education settings.

Prime minister Keir Starmer said: “Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost of living pressures.

“My government is taking action to ease those pressures. 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 stain 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 our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”

Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall added: “By expanding free school meals to all families on Universal Credit, we’re ending the impossible choice thousands of our hardest grafting families must make between paying bills and feeding their children.”

The government is also working with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards to improve nutrition in school meals.

Stephanie Slater, founder and chief executive at School Food Matters, said: “This is an incredibly happy day for children and families across England. Hundreds of thousands of children who have been living in food-insecure households will now be able to come to school knowing they have something nutritious to eat at lunchtime. Congratulations to the Labour government for recognising the multiple benefits that school meals have to offer and for taking this bold step to expand access to those who need it most. 

“We know from all the evidence that expanding free school meals is one of the best investments a government can make – not only for children’s long-term health and learning but for the economy too. Teachers often tell us they can see the difference in children who come to class after having a nutritious meal, as they are more focused, energetic and ready to learn.”

“When done right, school meals are the best option for children, especially as packed lunches often fall short in nutritional quality. That’s why we’re also pleased to see the government is working to update the school food standards to prioritise quality alongside access.” 

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