NAHT welcomes government extension of free school meals

Union urges automatic enrolment to ensure all eligible children benefit from free school meals under new Universal Credit policy.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) has welcomed the government’s announcement that free school meals will be extended to all pupils in households receiving Universal Credit from September 2026.

The move is seen as a significant step forward in tackling child poverty and improving pupils’ ability to learn, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union NAHT, said:
“NAHT has long called for the expansion of free school meals to all children in households entitled to Universal Credit, so this is a very welcome move by the government.
“No child should go hungry because of their family’s financial situation. Hunger harms children’s health, wellbeing and their ability to concentrate in the classroom. The current low-income threshold for eligibility excludes many children living in poverty.”

The NAHT is also calling on the government to introduce automatic enrolment for free school meals to ensure no eligible child misses out.
“Too many families are unaware they qualify, or face barriers when applying. Auto-enrolment would help close that gap,” Paul Whiteman added.

Schools bearing the burden of poverty
The union also highlighted the increasing role schools are playing in supporting families struggling with the cost of living.
“School leaders report spending more time supporting pupils affected by poverty,” he said. “A nutritious meal is just one of the basic needs children are missing. We’re also seeing the impact of unstable housing, visits by bailiffs, and families unable to afford school uniforms or transport costs. These issues directly affect attendance, wellbeing and learning outcomes.”

The announcement has also been welcomed by The Children’s Society.

Mark Russell, Chief Executive at The Children’s Society, said:
“This is a clear, simple and targeted move that will be a lifeline to families, lifting thousands of children out of hunger and helping to ease the pressure on households that are struggling to make ends meet.
“Extending free school meals to all children in families on Universal Credit is a practical, compassionate step that will make a real difference. It will also cut through the current confusion on eligibility, making it easier for families to get the help they are entitled to.
“This change reflects the heart of The Children’s Society’s long running push to help children and families most in need – and it’s a change that’s urgently needed.”

The NAHT is now urging the government to back the free school meals extension with further support as the child poverty taskforce prepares to report later this year.
“This policy is a positive step forward, but it must be part of a wider strategy to reduce child poverty and remove the barriers that prevent children from thriving in school,” Paul Whiteman said.

Commenting on the government’s announcement, Jude Hillary, co-head of UK policy and practice at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), said:

“Ensuring children have access to a nutritious meal at school supports their well-being, concentration, and long-term achievement. An estimated 500,000 pupils could benefit from this announcement, making it a vital step towards reducing child poverty and improving educational outcomes.

“We have long called for this change—through our Disadvantage Report, Cost-of-Living research, and more recently during the Committee Stage of the Schools Bill—highlighting the urgent need to expand eligibility.

“We now urge the government to extend pupil premium support to these same children, ideally in next week’s Spending Review.”