From September 2026, families receiving Universal Credit in England will be eligible for free school meals regardless of their household income, potentially saving up to £495 per child each year.
The change, announced by the Department for Education (DfE) last year, removes the current £7,400 income cap (after tax and excluding benefits) that prevents Universal Credit households from qualifying if their annual earnings exceed this threshold.
Who benefits
Children in full-time education in England will qualify if their parents or carers receive any amount of Universal Credit. The expansion builds on existing provision that already covers 2.1 million disadvantaged children, 90,000 low-income students in Further Education, and around 1.3 million infants under the Universal Infant Free School Meals programme.
The DfE confirmed that over half a million additional pupils will become eligible under the new criteria. Families with multiple children can make even bigger savings.
Implementation timeline
The new eligibility takes effect in September 2026, at the start of the 2026/27 school year, giving schools time to prepare for increased meal numbers. The DfE stated that families receiving Universal Credit will be able to access free school meals from that date.
The DfE added: "This expansion will provide significant financial relief for families. If your household receives Universal Credit, you could save up to £495 per year per child on school lunches. For families with multiple children, these savings can make a substantial difference to household budgets."
Other eligibility routes
Children may also qualify if parents or carers receive income-related Employment and Support Allowance, support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, or the guaranteed element of Pension Credit. All state-funded primary school children from reception to year two automatically qualify for universal infant free school meals.
