Free School Meals 2026/27: The Universal Credit Expansion, Targeted vs Expanded Meals, and Who Must Reapply
From September 2026 every child in an English Universal Credit household can get free school meals. Targeted vs expanded, reapplying, Scotland and Wales.
From the start of the 2026/27 school year, every child in England whose household gets Universal Credit is entitled to free school meals, whatever the earnings. Households earning £7,400 a year or less count as "targeted" and bring pupil premium; those earning more count as "expanded" and get meals only. Scotland gives free lunches to all P1 to P5 pupils and Wales to all primary pupils.
From the start of the 2026/27 school year, every child in England whose household gets Universal Credit is entitled to free school meals, with no earnings limit. The old £7,400 earnings line has not vanished: it now splits eligible children into two groups, targeted and expanded, and only targeted children bring the school pupil premium. Scotland and Wales run their own systems. Our free school meals checker gives the answer for your nation, year group, benefits and earnings.
Who gets free school meals in 2026/27
| England | Scotland | Wales | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youngest years | Reception, Year 1, Year 2: free for all (universal infant meals) | P1 to P5: free for all | Reception to Year 6: free for all at maintained schools |
| Older primary | Universal Credit (any earnings) or another qualifying benefit | P6 and P7: Scottish Child Payment, Universal Credit (earned income up to £995 a month) or another listed benefit | Free for all (primary) |
| Secondary | Universal Credit (any earnings) or another qualifying benefit | Universal Credit (earned income up to £995 a month) or another listed benefit | Universal Credit with earnings under £7,400; Years 7 and 8 with no income limit from September 2026 |
| Do you apply? | Already getting them: usually no. New: apply to council or school | P1 to P5: no; older pupils: apply to council | Primary: may be asked to register; secondary: apply to the council where the school is |
England: targeted vs expanded
The Department for Education's free school meals guidance (updated 7 October 2026) sets out the two groups:
- Targeted free school meals: children in Universal Credit households with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less, plus children who qualify through the other benefits that counted before the change (income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the guarantee element of Pension Credit, or support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999). These children get a free meal and attract pupil premium. Holiday Activities and Food places and the "extended rights" part of school travel help also follow targeted status.
- Expanded free school meals: children in Universal Credit households with earnings above £7,400. They get the meal only, with no pupil premium.
Either way, the meal on the plate is the same. The difference matters to the school's budget and to some extra entitlements.
The DfE's implementing changes page says schools must record each eligible pupil as targeted or expanded in the autumn census, with checks completed by 2 November 2026 counting this year. A new DfE checking service confirms Universal Credit and earnings from the claimant's surname, date of birth and National Insurance number, and a result is valid for the whole school year.
Universal infant free school meals continue for every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. If you get Universal Credit, it is still worth applying for an infant: targeted status brings the school pupil premium. Further education students funded by the DfE are covered by the expansion too.
Do you need to reapply?
This is the question school letters answer differently. The DfE's model letter for parents says:
- If your child already gets free school meals, in most cases you do not need to reapply. The school or council checks eligibility automatically using the details it holds, and may contact you to confirm them.
- If your child is starting a new school in September, the new school will tell you whether to confirm your details or reapply.
- If your child does not get free school meals now, you need to apply through your council or school.
Transitional protection has ended
Since 2018, some children kept free meals even after their family's circumstances changed, while Universal Credit was rolled out. That transitional protection ended at the end of the 2025/26 school year. From September 2026 eligibility depends on whether the household currently gets Universal Credit or another qualifying benefit, so some protected children have lost their meals. Children who stop qualifying still count in the school's "Ever 6" disadvantage funding.
Scotland
According to mygov.scot (updated 1 April 2026), every child in P1 to P5 at a council school gets free lunches in term time, whatever the family income. P6 and P7 pupils qualify if a parent gets Scottish Child Payment or a listed benefit; secondary pupils qualify on listed benefits. For Universal Credit, monthly earned income must be no more than £995. Children in funded early learning and childcare get a free meal on the days they attend, with no application.
Wales
All primary school children at state-funded schools in Wales can get a free meal under Universal Primary Free School Meals. For secondary pupils, Universal Credit counts if household earnings are less than £7,400 a year after tax. The Welsh Government announced on 20 June 2026 that it is removing the income limit for secondary pupils on Universal Credit, starting with Years 7 and 8 from September 2026; your council says when you can apply. You apply to the council where your child goes to school, not where you live.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has no universal free school meals. According to nidirect, a child at school or full-time pre-school qualifies for 2026/27 if the family gets Universal Credit with household net earnings (after tax) of £15,900 a year or less (up from £15,390 in 2025/26), or income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the guarantee element of State Pension Credit, or asylum support. You apply to the Education Authority; nidirect does not say whether you must reapply every year.
What the checker leaves out
Independent schools, nursery detail, families with no recourse to public funds (who may qualify for targeted meals under separate criteria) and local council schemes are not covered. Your council's checker is the final word.
Sources
Department for Education, free school meals guidance and implementing changes (GOV.UK, updated 7 October 2026), and the DfE model parent letter; GOV.UK, Apply for free school meals; mygov.scot, School meals; gov.wales, Free school meals: information for parents and carers (updated 11 September 2026). All checked 18 October 2026.