Thousands more children in Devon and Torbay Council regions will now automatically receive free school meals, eliminating the need for families to apply for this support. Approximately 1,300 eligible pupils who were previously not benefiting from free school meals will now receive this assistance. Cornwall Council is also planning to implement automatic enrollment for free school meals starting September 2026, benefiting an additional 1,800 children.
Eligibility for free school meals in the UK depends on various factors such as location, age, and household benefits claims. Children in England receive free school meals in reception class, year 1, and year 2. Under the current rules, children are only eligible for free school meals if their families claim specific benefits, including Universal Credit, and earn less than £7,400 per year after tax, excluding benefits. However, starting from the 2026/27 academic year, children from families claiming Universal Credit will automatically qualify for free school meals, regardless of their household income.
Further guidance from the Department for Education is expected before September 2026. In London, primary school children receive free school meals until the age of 11. In Scotland, children from primary one to primary five are eligible, while in Wales, all primary school students are entitled to free school meals. In Northern Ireland, parents claiming benefits must apply for free school meals as they are not provided automatically. Children attending private schools typically do not receive free school meals.
For children who do not automatically qualify for free school meals based on the mentioned criteria, parents may apply if they claim specific benefits until the child turns 18. Additionally, claiming free school meals may open doors to other forms of assistance, such as grants for school uniform and trips.