England’s free school meals rollout risks losing sight of which children need help most

By Michaela James, Research Officer at Medical School, Swansea University
Amy Locke, PhD Candidate in Medical and Health Care Studies, Swansea University
Sinead Brophy, Professor in Public Health Data Science, Swansea University

The UK government has announced an expansion of free school meals in England. Starting from September 2026, all children in households receiving universal credit will qualify, removing the previous income cap of £7,400 per year.

This change is expected to benefit more than 500,000 children and lift around 100,000 out of poverty, providing a broader safety net for families.

While this is a positive development, there are unintended consequences, particularly…

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