Due to the rule change, 1,300 more children in Devon will now have access to free school meals. Cornwall Council has also agreed to implement automatic free school meals enrolment from September 2026.
The UK Government has announced an extension of free school meals in England to all children whose parents receive universal credit, in order to address child hunger and poverty. From September 2026 an additional half a million children will benefit from the scheme.
To ensure quality and nutrition in meals for the future, the Government is also acting with experts across the sector to revise the School Food Standards. The total number of children registered for free school meals in England is currently about 2.2 million, or about 26% of the total school population.
Moira Marder, chief executive of the Ted Wragg Trust, told BBC News: "The additional pupil premium funding unlocked by this policy will enable us to offer more targeted interventions and extra support to these students, moving one step closer to breaking the unfair link between disadvantage, opportunity and outcomes."