From September 2026, free school meals eligibility will extend to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit - a groundbreaking expansion that will reach hundreds of thousands of additional children across England. We are pleased to see the government moving forward with the practical steps needed to make this a reality.
What the guidance confirms
A new free school meals Eligibility Checking Service (ECS) will open from 1 June to 1 October 2026. Schools and local authorities are encouraged to begin checking eligibility as early as possible to ensure children can access meals from the start of the autumn term and in turn, schools receive the associated funding.
Schools are encouraged to begin preparing now by:
- accepting new applications
- promoting awareness of the expanded entitlement to families
- estimating likely increases in uptake
- completing eligibility checks before October
The guidance also includes a model registration form to support schools with the process. Department for Education webinars for schools will run throughout May.
What comes next?
We look forward to hearing more from government how it plans to address the remaining barriers that prevent children from accessing and benefitting from a nutritious school meal.
We are keen to know how schools will be supported to manage increased meal uptake from September, recognising that much of the responsibility for implementation will fall on schools themselves. Schools will need to identify and register eligible families, and increase meal numbers within existing kitchen, dining and staffing capacity. We would also welcome progress toward auto-enrolment so eligible children do not miss out because of complex administrative processes, alongside further clarification on implementation processes for children in families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).
Stephanie Slater, Founder and CEO at School Food Matters said:
“We welcome the government’s expansion of free school meals and its timely review of the school food standards. Evidence from our Nourish programme shows that expanding eligibility and improving standards must go hand in hand. Increasing access to free school meals will only deliver its full benefit if the food children receive is nutritious, high quality and consistently delivered - and if standards are properly monitored and enforced. We look forward to seeing how the reforms develop to ensure more children can access nutritious, delicious school food. “
Read the Department for Education guidance on free school meals for schools and local authorities and its guide to free meals in further education.
The government’s consultation on school food standards is open until 12 June. Find out more about the school food standards review and submit your response here.
