More children to benefit from free school meals

From September 2026, more children will become eligible for free school meals, making this support available to more families.

The changes include children whose parents or carers receive Universal Credit. Children whose families receive support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will also continue to be eligible.

Families whose children already receive free school meals should not need to apply again, as eligibility is normally checked automatically. Anyone applying for the first time will need to apply through their school or local authority.

The changes mean more families will be able to access free school meal support, with full details and eligibility information available online.

Find out more and apply for free school meals on GOV.UK.