US Edition
Free school meals to be extended to 500,000 more children in UK
- The government confirmed today that beginning with the 2026 school year, all children from households receiving Universal Credit will qualify for free school meals throughout England.
- This expansion addresses longstanding appeals from regional anti-poverty advocates who identified limitations in the current means-tested eligibility criterion, which restricts free school meal access to households earning below £7,400 annually.
- Around 500,000 additional children nationwide, including 75,000 in the North East, will gain access to meals, potentially saving parents nearly £500 annually and lifting 100,000 children out of poverty.
- Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson called this a 'giant step towards ending child poverty,' with Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasizing that the plan supports hardworking families facing cost pressures.
- The expansion forms part of the government’s Plan for Change and signals further child poverty strategies expected later this year, though campaigners urge additional measures and auto-enrolment.
Insights by Ground AI
Does this summary seem wrong?
48 Articles
48 Articles
All
Left
4
Center
22
Right
6
N.S. rolled out pay-what-you can school lunches — here's how many paid full price
To make food affordable and accessible to all, the program never placed expectations on families to pay for meals. However, through surveys and declining payment amounts, some parents are sending a message they want changes in the second year of the program.
·Canada
Read Full Article
Coverage Details
Total News Sources48
Leaning Left4Leaning Right6Center22Last UpdatedBias Distribution69% Center
Bias Distribution
- 69% of the sources are Center
69% Center
13%
C 69%
R 19%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
