Half a Million More Children to Get Free School Meals From September
Every pupil in a household on Universal Credit will become entitled to a free school lunch from the new academic year, in the biggest expansion of the scheme in years, as councils urge families to reapply before the changes take effect.
Eleanor Whitfield
Writer ·
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- Eligibility extends to all pupils in Universal Credit households
- Change takes effect from the start of the 2026 school year
- More than 500,000 additional children expected to benefit
- Income threshold for eligibility removed
- New eligibility checking service available to councils from June
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