Over 500,000 more children to receive free school meals

Free school meals are to be extended to more than 500,000 additional children as the government expands eligibility for the benefit. 

From the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals. Since 2018, children have only been eligible for the benefit if their household income is less than £7,400 per year.

The government has claimed the expansion will lift 100,000 children across England “completely out of poverty”.

It is also working with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards, which were last revised in 2015. 

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

“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.”

He described the expansion, which looks to deliver on the government’s Plan for Change, as a "truly historic moment” for the country. 

Nick Harrison, CEO of educational charity The Sutton Trust, described the extension as a "significant step towards taking hunger out of the classroom”. 

“Giving free school meals to all families who are eligible for Universal Credit is also easier for parents to understand, so has the potential to increase take-up rates,” he added.

How will the changes impact suppliers?

Federation of Wholesale Distributors head of external affairs Lyndsey Cambridge said the free school meal extension "will be welcome news to wholesalers that supply into schools”.

However, she added: “We urge government to review the budget set per pupil in order to keep up with inflation. The impact of increasing the number of meals, but not the price per meal risks quality and quantity of it. We want to ensure that these pupils benefit from a healthy and nutritious meal everyday.

“We also welcome the announcement of a review into the School Food Standards and will be working closely with DfE on that review.”

The industry reacts

The Food Foundation executive director Anna Taylor decribed today as a "landmark day for children".

"Today the government shows it is serious about breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring every child in Britain has the chance to grow up well nourished - a commitment which is at the heart of their forthcoming food strategy. The expansion of free school meals is supported by the overwhelming majority of people in the UK - regardless of how they vote.”

Sustain Children's Food Campaign manager Barbara Crowther said: "This move takes England a huge step forward to our long term vision of a universal healthy school meals programme which ends the lunchtime means-testing of our children altogether, and which works so brilliantly in many other countries."

However, she added that the campaign also wants to see "a solid commitment to ensure funding supports sustainable, healthy procurement - from farmers' fields to pupils' plates". 

Bite Back interim CEO Nicki Whiteman also congratulated the government on what she described as "bold and long-overdue action". 

However, she added: "We’re not putting our feet up just yet. If we’re serious about making this count, we need to talk about what’s actually on the plate. Right now, too many catering companies are delivering food that falls short of the standards our children deserve — with little accountability. Expanding eligibility is huge. But raising quality is the next battle."

Meanwhile, Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts said: "Meaningful steps like this are vital in tackling the issue and we warmly welcome the considerable impact this announcement will have.

“We also know there is always more to be done to ensure families across the nation have access to nourishing meals. That’s why at Sainsbury’s we’re committed to working closely with our charity partners to make good food accessible to every family, helping them thrive."

The government is also pledging more than £13m in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.

The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme looks to help farms and organisations work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left in fields does not go to waste