More than 3 million children in families receiving Universal Credit will become eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) in England from September 2026, following a major expansion of the eligibility rules.
The change will extend free school meal support to all children in families receiving Universal Credit, according to the government’s announcement. It is expected to provide additional help to households facing financial pressure while contributing to Labour’s wider target of reducing child poverty.
Free School Meals Rules Expand From September 2026
According to Birmingham Live, he new rules represent a significant expansion of access to Free School Meals for children in England. Families receiving Universal Credit will be able to benefit from the wider eligibility criteria when the changes take effect in September.
The government says more than 3 million children from Universal Credit families will benefit. The policy forms part of a broader programme aimed at lifting more than half a million children out of poverty, which the government says would represent the largest reduction in a single parliament since records began.
The expansion places the focus on children rather than the number of individual Universal Credit claimants. While millions of children are expected to benefit, eligibility and applications remain linked to the rules and processes operated by the relevant authorities.
MPs Ask DWP To Notify Universal Credit Claimants
The expansion has also raised questions about whether families should be directly informed when they become eligible.
Andrew Cooper, Labour Party MP for Mid-Cheshire, asked “what consideration he has given to the potential merits of notifying Universal Credit claimants of their eligibility for free school meals via online journal entries.”
The question focuses on the Universal Credit journal, the digital communication channel used by the Department for Work and Pensions to communicate with claimants.
A routine notification could potentially make it easier for families to identify support available to them, but the government has not agreed to introduce such messages.
DWP Says No Routine Journal Alerts Are Planned
In reply, Labour Party cabinet member Sir Stephen said: “The Department is committed to ensuring that people receiving Universal Credit can access the support to which they may be entitled.
“Eligibility rules for Free School Meals are the responsibility of the Department for Education in England, with eligibility determined using Universal Credit information where appropriate.
“The Department keeps its communications with Universal Credit claimants under regular review, including the information provided through digital channels such as the Universal Credit journal.
“However, no decision has been taken to introduce routine journal notifications relating to potential Free School Meals entitlement.
“The journal is primarily used to communicate information relevant to the administration of a claimant’s Universal Credit award and is not generally used to provide speculative notifications about possible entitlement to support administered by other organisations.
“Claimants can access information about additional support that may be available alongside Universal Credit, including Free School Meals, through existing guidance and application routes provided by the relevant authorities.”
