Any child whose parents receive Universal Credit will be able to claim free school meals starting from September 2026, the government has announced. Parents on the credit will be eligible regardless of their income rather than just those whose households earn less than £7,400.
The change, according to the government, will allow 500,000 more pupils to be eligible for free school meals. This will “help families who need it most,” according to the Prime Minister. The Department for Education has allocated £1 billion to fund the change up to 2029.
Labour has been under pressure to tackle child poverty and has yet to decide if it will scrap the two-child benefit cap. Changes to free school meals, according to ministers, will save parents around £500 annually, lifting “100,000 children out of poverty.”
£13 million has been pledged to around a dozen food charities in England to combat food poverty, redistributing food from farms rather than allow them to go to waste.
“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,” said Sir Keir Starmer.
These changes are set to come into effect from the start of the 2026 academic year.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
Follow us on:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!
We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!
