Keir Starmer has announced plans to extend free school meals to all children in families receiving Universal Credit in England in a bid to tackle child hunger in the classroom – and we want to hear your thoughts
Keir Starmer has announced that over half a million more children will be eligible for free school meals from next year – and we want to know if you think the benefit should be expanded to all school pupils. In a landmark move, the Prime Minister revealed plans to extend the vital support to all children in families receiving Universal Credit in England.
This support could save parents a staggering £500 a year, which could ease cost-of-living pressures while helping children achieve at school, the PM said. The move marks a major milestone in the Mirror’s free school meals campaign, which strives to tackle child hunger in the classroom. Research has shown that free school meals help pupils concentrate and reduce disruption in class.
Writing in the Mirror last night, Mr Starmer penned: “I want every child to have every opportunity and the best support to aim high, achieve good grades, and get the best education possible. That’s why today I’m proud to announce that over half a million more children will get a free school meal every day.
“All children in a household on Universal Credit will now be eligible, giving them the support they need to learn and thrive.” In a message addressed to Mirror readers, he said: “My government will leave no stone unturned in our pursuit to give every child the best start in life.”
Currently, all children in England can get free school meals until the end of Year 2 but after that they only qualify if their family gets certain benefits. Youngsters whose families claim Universal Credit only qualify if their household earns less than £7,400-a-year after benefits.
From September 2026, every child in a household receiving UC will be entitled to a free, nutritious hot meal. According to the Government, the move would lift 100,000 children out of poverty, while more than 500,000 kids are expected to benefit from the change.
It comes after alarming research by School Food Matters last year found 38 per cent of teachers reported that pupils in their classes were regularly too hungry to learn, while 24 per cent of heads said their school was operating a foodbank. In January 2024, around 2.1 million pupils – nearly one in four (24.6%) – in England were eligible for free school meals, a concerning increase from 1.44 million at the start of the Covid pandemic, highlighting growing pressures on household budgets.
The decision comes as pressure mounts on the Government to do more to address rising levels of child poverty. Former PM Gordon Brown said last month that Labour must act now to help “austerity’s children” as 4.8 million kids could be living in hardship by 2029.
The plans have been hailed a “game changer” by campaigners, as Nick Harrison, chief executive of the Sutton Trust social mobility charity, said: “This is a significant step towards taking hunger out of the classroom.
“Children can’t learn effectively when hungry, so this announcement not only helps to tackle the effects of child poverty, but will also likely help improve education outcomes for disadvantaged young people.”
Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, which campaigned alongside the Mirror, said: “After years of joint campaigning, knowing tens of thousands more children will benefit from a hot, healthy school meal is the good news NEU members have been waiting for.
“But we won’t stop there. The cost of living still impacts too many children, so we continue to call for Free School Meals for all.” Following the PM’s announcement, we want to know if you think all school children should be given free school meals. Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.
The Mirror will also be discussing the topic with you in the comments section below and you can join in! All you have to do is sign up, submit your comment, register your details and then you can take part.
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