Plymouth City Council has welcomed the Government’s announcement that more children will benefit from free school meals at school.
From September 2026, the Government has announced that any child whose household is on Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.
Currently, children are only eligible if their household receives Universal Credit and has an annual income of less than £7,400 per year.
The expanded eligibility will mean that more than 10,000 Plymouth children in school years 3 to 11 will be able to benefit from a free, healthy and nutritious lunch during each school day.
All children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 already receive universal free school meals.
Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships, said: “This is a hugely positive step forward for children and families in Plymouth. This is about children thriving and achieving, and we know that access to a healthy, balanced meal at school can make a real difference to a child’s wellbeing, concentration, and academic performance.
“We recognise the pressures that many households are facing and this change will help to reduce child poverty and food insecurity.
“We’ll be working closely with our schools and catering providers to ensure that there’s a smooth and effective rollout of this policy in 2026, so that as many children as possible can benefit.”
For more information about current free school meal eligibility and how to apply, families can visit www.plymouth.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals.