Despite Government plans to expand free school meals (FSM) to all universal credit households from September 2026, fewer than 4% of children in formal childcare will receive a free meal compared with 30% of pupils in schools.
The report by Bremner & Co, supported by The Food Foundation, Impact on Urban Health and the Early Years Food Coalition, exposes a hidden crisis in early years food provision. Key findings from the report:
- 290,000 disadvantaged young children will miss out on free meals despite attending nurseries, pre-schools or childminders.
- Free meal eligibility in childcare will rise only slightly under the new policy, from 24,000 to 39,000 – fewer than 4% of the >1.1 million children in formal childcare.
- By contrast, nearly 30% of pupils in schools will receive a free meal after the FSM expansion, exposing a ‘stark disparity’ between early years and school-aged children.
- There is no dedicated Government funding for meals in early years settings, unlike school food, meaning settings have to feed eligible children out of their own pocket.
- Families are struggling to provide healthy food at home, with 17% of households with under-fours experiencing food insecurity.
Dayna Brackley, partner at Bremner & Co, commented: “The children who need nutritious food the most are the least likely to get it. We are facing a situation where providers see more children arriving hungry, but without the means to feed them.”
The report urges Government to act now to prevent thousands of young children from going hungry in childcare. Recommendations include extending free meals to all children in universal credit households, regardless of the type of childcare setting they attend as well as introducing automatic registration.
MP for Washington and Gateshead South Sharon Hodgson, chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on School Food, said: “It is astonishing that in 2025, so many of our youngest children are missing out on free meals simply because of where they are cared for.
“It makes no sense that a family could have one child in reception receiving a free school meal while a younger sibling in full-time nursery goes without. Ministers must consider this disparity and take action to ensure every child has access to a healthy meal, no matter the setting or the paperwork involved.”