Free school meals update as new eligibility rules announced

The free school meals scheme is set for a significant change as the eligibility criteria is expanded to help more than 500,000 children. This change will specifically impact families on Universal Credit in England.

Parents could pocket savings of up to £500 annually due to this expansion as all families on Universal Credit will be able to receive free school meals. It's been confirmed the change will come into effect from the beginning of the next academic year in September 2026.

At present, all youngsters in England are entitled to free school meals until they finish Year 2. However, beyond this point, they only qualify if their family's income falls below £7,400 a year after benefits.

Earlier this summer, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that from September 2026, all children in households claiming Universal Credit will be eligible for a free lunch. The government aims to provide more free school meals to disadvantaged pupils in maintained schools, academies, and free schools across the nation, by widening the eligibility rules.

This modification means roughly 500,000 additional children will now qualify for free meals, according to MEN. Children who currently benefit from free school meals will continue to be eligible until the end of the 2025/2026 academic year.

Claims must be lodged on behalf of the student and their eligibility must be confirmed by the school they attend or by their local authority. Further guidance will be issued ahead of the rule change next September.

Currently, students and their families who receive the following benefits but have less than £7,400 earned income outside of these benefits qualify for free meals:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Those receiving Universal Credit who have a monthly net earned income of less than £616.67 in their most recent Universal Credit assessment period qualify for free school meals, and no additional checks are required.

Those whose earned income surpasses this amount for their most recent Universal Credit assessment period will be assessed for net earned income not exceeding £1,233.34 in their two most recent Universal Credit assessment periods. This means they qualify for free school meals and no additional checks are required, according to MEN.

There are also special arrangements that enable local authorities to provide for children and young people in circumstances where it would be "inappropriate" for the provisions to be made in a school setting.

This support is typically implemented as part of the child's education, health and care plan.

Reasonable adjustments can also be made for disabled children, such as a child with autism who has sensory processing difficulties leading to a restricted diet. In these situations, local authorities can offer different types of support, like issuing food vouchers to parents so they can prepare a packed lunch that meets their child's needs.