Free School Meals Are Changing in 2026, So Who Qualifies, What to Do, and What It’s Worth
- The Penny Pincher Team
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Free school meals in England (Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland operate differently) are expanding in September 2026.
Find out what's changing with free school meals, how much they're worth, and what to do if you don't qualify.
From September 2026, the rules around Free School Meals (FSM) in England are changing.
If your household receives Universal Credit, this could mean your child becomes eligible, regardless of how much you earn.
It's a big shift, and for many, it could mean a saving of around £500 a year per child.
But you need to know what FSM is, what's changing, and what to do next.
What are Free School Meals?
Free school meals (FSM) are exactly what they sound like: free meals provided to eligible schoolchildren during term time.
Currently, most FSMs are served as hot lunches in primary and secondary schools, although some schools also offer cold meal options.
Children who qualify for FSM don't pay anything, and meals are usually chosen from the same menu that other pupils use, not a separate or lower-quality option.
What's changing in 2026?
Right now, to qualify for FSM under Universal Credit, your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and excluding benefits). That income cap is set to be stopped in September 2026.
Instead, if your family receives Universal Credit, your child will be eligible for FSM, with no income cap and no extra tests.
It's expected to help over 500,000 more children across England, but it's not automatic. You still need to apply.
Transitional protection is ending, too.
If your child currently gets FSM because they've been protected under transitional rules, for example, if you used to qualify but no longer meet the threshold, that ends in August 2026.
From then on, only families on Universal Credit will qualify. This may catch some people out.
What you need to do
Don't assume your school will sort this. Don't expect a reminder in the post. Don't rely on the council chasing you up; they likely won't!
You have to apply, even if:
Your child already gets FSM
You're on Universal Credit
You've had FSM in the past
You'll usually need:
Your National Insurance number
Your child's details (name, DOB, school)
Confirmation of Universal Credit (checked electronically in most cases)
Apply through your local council. Each area has its own process. Find your local council's FSM application link here.
What if you don't qualify?
Not everyone will be covered. If you don't claim Universal Credit, even if your income is low, your child may not qualify.
That includes families who:
Are self-employed with fluctuating income
Earn slightly above the UC threshold
Have no access to public funds
It's frustrating, but there are things you can do:
Contact the school; they may offer support through hardship funds or discretionary assistance. Helpful info on hardship schemes and how they work can be found on the Education Support website.
Ask the school about the cost of school meals for your child. As an example, my son's school charges £3.20 a day for a hot meal, which is frustrating when he refuses to take sandwiches with him, yet will pick a cheese sandwich from school!
In some cases, it is more cost-effective to pay for school meals than to purchase all the ingredients for packed lunches. Still, a packed lunch is usually the more affordable option. Still, many parents may pay for their child to have a hot meal at school and then have a lighter dinner at home, such as a sandwich, or perhaps soup, etc, as this may work out cheaper than buying dinner ingredients and may also be more nutritionally balanced.
Check if your council offers local schemes (some do for emergency food support)
Use Healthy Start vouchers if you have young children under 4
Consider meal prep strategies to lower packed lunch costs (see below)
FSM vs packed lunch — what's cheaper?
If your child doesn't qualify, you're likely making packed lunches, but how much are they really costing?
Here's a quick, rough breakdown of a basic packed lunch, using supermarket essentials product ranges to keep prices as low as possible.
Item | Cost per day (est.) |
Sandwich (ham or cheese) | £0.50 |
Yoghurt or fruit pouch | £0.40 |
Snack bar or crisps | £0.30 |
Piece of fruit | £0.20 |
Drink or water bottle | £0.10 |
Total | £1.50/day |
That adds up to £7.50 per week or around £285 per school year per child.
If your child becomes eligible for FSM, that full cost disappears.
In comparison, FSMs are worth roughly £2.50 a day in many schools, which works out to £475 to £500 per year, depending on school term length and provision.
That's more than just a sandwich. It's a full, hot meal.
Is it really worth £500 a year?
Yes, if you use it! FSM cover 190 school days a year. At £2.50 a day, that's £475 in savings.
Multiply that by two or three children, and you could be saving over £1,000 a year.
Plus:
It saves time on packed lunches.
It guarantees a hot, balanced meal.
It gives you breathing room in your weekly food budget.
In many schools, FSM pupils eat the same meals as everyone else, with no stigma, no difference.
What should you do now?
Check if you're on Universal Credit.
Research how to apply for FSM through your local council.
Make a note to apply before September 2026.
Ask your school how they plan to handle the changes.
Don't rely on reminders; pop a note in your diary to remind yourself!
This change has the potential to benefit many families, but only if they take action.
If you're on Universal Credit, don't assume you'll be added automatically. If you're not on benefits, don't assume there's nothing you can do; after all, School meal costs add up fast, and you don't want to miss out.
The new free school meal rules are one change that could genuinely help with the cost of living, and it will only take a few minutes to apply when applications open in August 2026.
That application date is still a long way away, but it's well worth looking into now and planning ahead, as it's genuinely a cheaper way to keep the kids fed with nutritionally balanced meals at no additional cost to you. That saving can really help out!
