Free school meals expansion – half of newly eligible parents don't know they can get the meals

• DWP and DfE ‘have left the job half done’
• 1 in 3 newly eligible parents have had dinner money debt during the 25/26 academic year

As the PM’s cost of living tour gets underway, a new survey from Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) finds more than half of parents (55%) whose children will be newly eligible for free school meals (FSM) from September don’t know that they will qualify for the meals. 

The government expanded eligibility for FSM to all school-aged children in households in England in receipt of universal credit with effect from September 2026. But hard-pressed schools and local authorities have been tasked by government with identifying and informing newly eligible families – leaving many families unaware that they now qualify for free lunches.

CPAG’s survey findings show the big difference FSM will make to families who are newly eligible – providing they know they can claim. The charity surveyed parents who are in receipt of universal credit but until now have not been eligible for FSM because the previous qualifying criteria was more restrictive.* On the costs of school food or packed lunches, the survey found:

• 80% of respondents said they have struggled with the costs of school meals or packed lunches
• 34% of parents either currently have or have had (in the academic year 25/26) dinner money debt owed to the school 
• 60% of parents have been spending £15 or more per child each week on food for the school day, with nearly 1 in 5 (17%) spending over £30 per week.   

CPAG applauds the expansion of FSM to all families on universal credit and has described the policy as a “game-changer” for families, but wants the DWP and DfE to do more ahead of September to ensure that every child gets the meal they are entitled to from day one. 

CPAG’s head of education policy Kate Anstey said: 

Our survey shows wider eligibility for free school meals will give hard-up families some badly-needed breathing space. But September is only weeks away and our new analysis shows the DWP and DfE have left the job half done. With so many families struggling, it’s on government to ensure the country’s children get what little help is available.  

To receive the free school meal, children must be registered but schools don't automatically know which families are newly eligible because they don't hold information on which parents receive benefits. 

Gathering the information needed to check eligibility is time-consuming for schools and councils. The DWP and DfE have the data and the means of informing parents and must utilise these to make sure that all eligible parents know that they qualify and know what they need to do to register. Without government efforts, the policy risks being underused at a time when families are in need. 

The government estimates over 500,000 additional children will become newly eligible for a free school meal as part of the expansion in September and that many children will be lifted out of poverty. CPAG calls on government to use all the mechanisms that it has to notify families of the change immediately and argues that in the medium term, government should introduce auto enrolment for FSM to ensure barriers to free school food are removed and every child gets access to their entitlement. 

Notes to editors: 

*Infants are guaranteed a FSM but for older children until the expansion of eligibility (announced in June 2025 and effective from September 2026) FSM were only available to families whose pre-benefit/pre-tax income was less than £7,400 per annum.   

Families who are newly entitled to FSM can register at any time to receive free school meals. Schools will receive funding for the meals for this academic year based on the number of children that are registered by and take meals on the October school census date.  

Survey methodology: Between 26 June and 6 August Survation carried out an online survey of 201 parents in England aged 18+ on universal credit whose children are currently ineligible for free school meals but will qualify for free school meals from September onwards as part of the government’s expansion. 

CPAG media contact: Jane Ahrends 07816 909302