The UK government has announced a significant expansion of its free school meals program in England, extending eligibility to all children from households receiving Universal Credit. The move, expected to benefit around 500,000 additional pupils, is projected to save families up to £500 per child each year. However, while this initiative will reduce classroom hunger, experts warn it won’t be enough to solve the deeper crisis of child poverty in Britain.
A Step Forward—but Not the Full Solution
Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the expanded meal provision, along with upcoming education investments, as an early step in the government’s broader Child Poverty Strategy, due this autumn. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson echoed this sentiment, calling the new policy a “giant step” in the government’s mission to combat child poverty.
Despite the enthusiasm, major structural challenges remain. The two-child benefit cap—a controversial policy that limits financial support to a family’s first two children—continues to block support for hundreds of thousands of children. Combined with rising school costs and underfunded school services, critics say these barriers undermine efforts to make lasting progress.
Who Benefits and When?
Currently, only families on Universal Credit with an annual income below £7,400 qualify for free school meals, excluding many low-income households. By removing that income threshold, the updated policy could eventually lift 100,000 children out of poverty, according to estimates from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). But these gains will take time.
Also Read – UK Council Apologises After Union Flag Dispute with Primary School
That’s partly because temporary measures introduced during the Universal Credit rollout—such as extended eligibility for families transitioning through welfare changes—already provided meals to many of the children who will now officially qualify under the new rules. As a result, the number of children newly receiving free meals is smaller than headlines suggest, and the poverty-reducing impact will be more gradual than immediate.
The Scale of the Problem
UK child poverty remains alarmingly high. An estimated 4.45 million children are living in poverty, and 1 in 5 children live in households where parents struggle to afford sufficient food. According to recent research, 20% of schools now run food banks to help meet basic needs.
Extending school meal coverage is a welcome measure. Nick Harrison, CEO of the Sutton Trust, praised the policy for removing hunger from classrooms and helping children concentrate. But many argue that it’s only a surface-level solution.
What More Needs to Be Done?
To tackle child poverty effectively, advocates say the government must go further:
-
End the Two-Child Benefit Cap: Eliminating this cap would immediately lift an estimated 350,000 children out of poverty. It remains one of the most impactful—and politically contentious—policy changes under consideration.
-
Properly Fund Schools: Schools are being asked to do more with less. For instance, they’re expected to cover 25% of the cost of running the new national breakfast club program. And next year, schools must fund £400 million in teacher pay increases from existing budgets—far more than what they’ll receive for the free meals expansion.
-
Address the Root Causes of Poverty: Poverty is driven not just by lack of food or education, but by a broader web of challenges—insecure jobs, unaffordable housing, insufficient welfare benefits, and shrinking community services. A piecemeal approach will not suffice.
Only by addressing these interconnected issues through coordinated national action can the UK hope to eliminate child hunger and poverty for good.
