02 Sep 2026
More than 500,000 additional children in England are expected to become eligible for free school meals from this month, as entitlement expands to all children in households receiving Universal Credit.
However, new research from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) suggests many families may not yet know about the change. In a survey of 201 parents whose children will become eligible, around half were unaware that they would be entitled to free school meals.
Children will not necessarily be registered automatically. Schools and councils may not know which families receive Universal Credit, so parents and carers are being encouraged to check the arrangements in their area and apply.
For rural families, the additional support may be particularly valuable where household budgets are already affected by higher transport and fuel costs and fewer nearby affordable services. Making sure eligible children are registered is also important for small rural schools, where pupil-based funding can have a significant impact on the resources available.
Registration is vital because funding for free school meals during the academic year will be based on the number of registered children taking meals at the time of the October school census.
Local authorities, schools and community organisations can help by making the change clear and directing families to local application information, so that eligible children receive support from the start of the new school year.
