Scotland raises free school meal threshold, April 2026

If you teach, parent, or study in Scotland, here is the update you can act on. From 1 April 2026, two changes apply to free school meals: the Universal Credit earnings cap moves to £995 a month, and pupils qualify if their parents receive State Pension Credit. Ministers made the regulations on 21 January and laid them before the Scottish Parliament on 23 January 2026. You will see them referenced as The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2026 (SSI 2026/19).

The legal bit, in plain English: section 53 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 says councils must provide a free school lunch to pupils who meet the conditions listed in subsection (7). The 2026 regulations update that list and the income figure used for the Universal Credit test; the definitions of “assessment period” and “earned income” follow the Universal Credit rules used across the UK. (legislation.gov.uk)

What the Universal Credit change means in practice is straightforward. If you are a single UC claimant and your earned income in the assessment period immediately before you apply is £995 or less, your child qualifies. If you are in a couple on UC, your combined earned income for that period must be £995 or less. “Assessment period” is your normal monthly UC cycle, and “earned income” is the earnings figure the DWP uses to calculate your award. (legislation.gov.uk)

A quick sense‑check helps. Imagine your last UC statement shows £980 of earned income and you are not in a couple; you meet the test. If two adults are on a joint UC claim and the statement shows £1,010 of combined earnings, the test is not met this month and you could apply again once a later statement is at or below £995. Keep copies of the relevant monthly UC statement when you contact the council.

There is also a new route to eligibility. Where a pupil’s parents receive State Pension Credit, that pupil is entitled to a free school lunch. This is especially useful for older parents and some kinship families who are legal parents; if your situation is more complex, your council can confirm how they interpret “parent” for an application like yours.

It helps to set this beside what already exists. Scotland already provides universal free school meals for Primary 1 to Primary 5, and for pupils in special schools. Primary 6 and 7 pupils can also receive free meals if their families get the Scottish Child Payment. The updated UC and Pension Credit rules mainly help secondary pupils and anyone not covered by those universal offers. The Scottish Government’s 2025 equality and child‑rights papers explain that broader policy picture. (gov.scot)

Dates matter for planning. The 2026 regulations were made on 21 January, laid on 23 January, and start on 1 April 2026. If you are eligible under the new rules, councils will apply them from that date. Keep your UC statement for the assessment period that immediately precedes when you apply after 1 April so your claim can be assessed quickly.

Applying is simple but evidence‑based. You apply to your local council, usually online, and provide either your UC statement covering the assessment period before you apply or your State Pension Credit award if that applies. MyGov.Scot also explains that families who get free school meals may receive school‑holiday support, which varies by council, so it is worth applying even if you are unsure. (mygov.scot)

Why the number keeps moving is about keeping pace with wages so families do not lose support as pay rises. In April 2024 the figure was £796; in April 2025 it rose to £850. The 2026 uplift to £995 follows the same approach and sits alongside the removal of the old tax‑credit route after UK‑wide migration to Universal Credit. Those earlier changes are recorded in the 2024 and 2025 regulations and their policy notes. (legislation.gov.uk)

What this means for your classroom or family is more stability at lunchtime. Fewer pupils should miss out because a single month’s earnings nudged just above last year’s line, and older parents on low incomes now have a clear entitlement. Share three prompts with families you support: check the date, check the UC assessment period before you apply, and keep a copy of the evidence. If money is tight, apply-councils decide each case, but the law is designed to keep eligible pupils eating well at midday.