East Thanet MP Polly Billington says she is “delighted” that from the start of the 2026 school year, every pupil whose household is on Universal Credit will have a new entitlement to free school meals.
The MP says this will mean 6640 children are eligible to receive free school meals in the East Thanet constituency, the highest number for any parliamentary constituency in Kent.
Since 2018, children have only been eligible for free school meals if their household income is less than £7,400 per year. That criteria has now been removed meaning children whose parent(s) earn over £7,400 but qualify for and claim Universal Credit, will become eligible for the additional layer of government-funded support from September 2026.
The government says the move will lift 100,000 children out of poverty and giving children access to a nutritious meal during the school day leads to higher attainment, improved behaviour, and better outcomes.
Polly Billington MP said: “Thanet has some of the worst rates of child poverty in the South East, and I know how much many families are struggling with the cost-of-living. “It’s not acceptable to hear that some parents on Universal Credit, many of whom are in work, have been skipping meals to ensure their kids are able to eat.
“That’s why I am delighted the government is expanding free school meal provision, to ensure every child can get a healthy nutritious meal during the school day. That’s really welcome action to ensure we lift children out of poverty, put money back in parents’ pockets, and give every child the best start in life.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Working parents across the country are working tirelessly to provide for their families but are being held back by cost-of-living pressures.
“My government is taking action to ease those pressures. Feeding more children every day, for free, is one of the biggest interventions we can make to put more money in parents’ pockets, tackle the stain of poverty, and set children up to learn.
“This expansion is a truly historic moment for our country, helping families who need it most and delivering our Plan for Change to give every child, no matter their background, the same chance to succeed.”
The government has also announced more than £13 million in funding to 12 food charities across England to redistribute thousands of tonnes of fresh produce directly from farms to fight food poverty in communities.
The Tackling Food Surplus at the Farm Gate scheme is helping farms and organisations to work collaboratively to ensure edible food that might have been left rotting in the fields instead ends up on the plates of those who need it, including schoolchildren.
The change in free school meals eligibility only applies to meals. Pupil premium funding will be allocated on the basis of the existing £7,400 FSM threshold for the next financial year.
This so important to stop the cycle of poverty from generation to generation. Half-starved kids can’t learn well.
Good news this , can Labour brink back the milk as well that Thatcher the milk snatcher took away.
Poverty as currently defined in UK can never be defeated as it is a percentage of the population related to income. If everyone’s income was quadrupled there would still be the same number of people defined as in poverty.
They should do it by weight!
Polly billington was on the Westminster hour on radio 4 last Sunday,she is often a guest on the show.she spouts a load of rubbish on there.
She has a view on most things but doesn’t have a clue! Just like her leader chairman starmer!
Obesity crises and kids starving…………………….
so important it dont start for a year, be U turned by then
Is that the MP who said how repulsive the child cap policy was here last summer & then a couple of weeks later voted to keep it in place?
Did she pay for that photo op meal where she is pretending care to about children, or was it yet another freebie-like her many lunches & booze ups at art galleries etc & her 500 quid PSB tickets from Warners, that compromise her in no way at all?
To be fair, a freeby lunch of a school dinner is hardly a major treat.
Every little helps.
So 6,640 children in Thanet are already living in poverty and qualify for free dinners, which won’t become available until September 2026! What do they do in the meantime, starve? They should ask for more!
I want more! Do you realise how much it costs to keep my Audi valeted and pimped, my iPhones upgraded, my special TV channel subscriptions and my daily fast food deliveries? I can’t go and work as I have to beat others’ high scores on my PlayStation 8. My level of poverty is horrible. And it’s your fault because you won’t increase my benefits for me and my 8 kids. I must stop here cos kid 5 needs urgent help. His Xbox X just got smashed by an angry left fist. Poverty is hard and it’s because you are better off. Shame on you.
Too many fat parents taking advantage of free meals for their kids , teach the adults how to bring up the children properly, or, can’t feed don’t breed.
Exactly, can’t feed, don’t breed. Feeding is more than just food. It’s providing for all their needs before their wants.
😂😂😂