Transitional protection for free school meals in England ended

Transitional protection for free school meals in England has ended, according to the charity Contact. Pupils who were entitled to free school lunches on or after 31 March 2022 continued to be entitled until they finished the phase of education, such as primary or secondary school, that they were in on 31 March 2022, even if their household no longer received Universal Credit¹. That protection has now stopped.

Eligibility in England now rests on receiving one of the qualifying benefits. These are Pension Credit (guarantee credit), Universal Credit, and support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999¹. Children who receive Universal Credit in their own right may also qualify¹.

For households on Universal Credit, entitlement before September 2026 depends on earnings. A child is in the "targeted group" for free school meals if net earnings, joint earnings for a couple, do not exceed the following¹:

The targeted group is also eligible for other help with education costs, including extended rights to home to school transport¹. From September 2026, all children from households receiving Universal Credit get free school meals¹.

Separately, some children qualify regardless of benefits. These are children in reception, Year 1 or Year 2 in England, and children in primary school in London¹.

The charity also notes that guidance previously stated any child who gained eligibility for free school meals after 1 March 2018 would be protected against losing them until March 2025, and then until the end of their phase of education¹. Contact states that any pupils entitled to free school lunches on or after 31 December 2023 continue to be entitled until they finish the phase of education they were in on 31 December 2023¹. The relationship between that later protection and the ended 2022 protection is not set out in the source.

Why it matters for households

For families in England whose children were covered by the 31 March 2022 protection, the guarantee that ran to the end of their phase of education has stopped. Where a household no longer receives a qualifying benefit, or where Universal Credit earnings exceed the thresholds, the child's free school meal entitlement is no longer protected on that basis¹. Entitlement is instead assessed against the eligible benefits list and, for Universal Credit claimants, the earnings thresholds above¹.

The change affects the household food budget during term time, and it also affects access to the wider help that comes with targeted group status, including extended rights to home to school transport¹. Families whose children remain entitled under the 31 December 2023 protection are covered until the end of their phase of education¹.

Free meals in further education are separate. A child aged 16 to 18 may qualify if the household receives one of the eligible benefits, and students aged 19 or over who meet the benefits test can qualify if they are continuing a study programme started before turning 19 or have an Education, Health and Care plan¹. A young person in non-advanced education who gets Universal Credit in their own right is entitled to free lunches up to the age of 25, so long as they have an EHC plan¹.

What happens next

From September 2026, all children from households receiving Universal Credit get free school meals in England¹. Until then, the earnings thresholds above continue to define the targeted group¹. No further dates are given in the source for the ended protections.

Households moving between benefits can read our guide to transitional protection when moving to Universal Credit, and families with older children can check Child Benefit after 16. Our benefits hub covers the wider system.