The Government has announced that every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will get free school meals from the 2026/27 academic year
Hundreds of thousands more children will be eligible for free school meals in England from September 2026 following a major change to the rules.
We explain who exactly will get the support, as Rachel Reeves delivers her Spending Review in the House of Commons. It marks a major victory for the Mirror’s long-running Free School Meals for All campaign
Nearly 2.1 million pupils – almost one in four of all pupils – in England were eligible for free school meals in January 2024.
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Free school meals – who gets them?
The rules for free school meals depends on what part of the UK you live in. If you’re in England, your child gets free school meals if they are in reception class, year 1 or year 2.
After that, they are eligible only if you claim certain benefits, including Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit.
Under current rules, households in England claiming Universal Credit must earn below £7,400 a year, after tax and not including benefits, to qualify for free school meals.
But the Government has announced that every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will get free school meals from the 2026/27 academic year.
What about other parts of the UK?
In Scotland, children from primary one to primary five get free school meals. If you’re in Wales, all primary school pupils get free school meals.
In Northern Ireland, free school meals are not given automatically – instead all parents claiming benefits have to apply. If your child goes to private school, you don’t normally receive free school meals.
How do I apply for free school meals?
Depending on where you live, you have to apply through your local council, or directly through the Government. You may be asked to provide proof of your income or benefits. Here are the links for each part of the UK:
What has Labour said?
The Department for Education says 500,000 more children will benefit from a free meal every school day as a result of the expansion, saving parents nearly £500 every year.
Prime Minister Sir 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 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.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “It is the moral mission of this government to tackle the stain of child poverty, and today this government takes a giant step towards ending it with targeted support that puts money back in parents’ pockets.
“From free school meals to free breakfast clubs, breaking the cycle of child poverty is at the heart of our Plan for Change to cut the unfair link between background and success.
“We believe that background shouldn’t mean destiny. Today’s historic step will help us to deliver excellence everywhere, for every child and give more young people the chance to get on in life.”