Almost 40,000 children to get free school meals

Almost 40,000 children in Hull and East Yorkshire will receive free school meals after the government expanded the scheme.

From September 2026, families receiving Universal Credit will be eligible regardless of their income. Currently, they need to earn less than £7,400 a year to qualify.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the change means that an extra 10,390 children in the Hull East constituency will get the meals.

The area's Labour MP Karl Turner described it as a "huge step forward".

In a social media post, Turner added it was "making life more affordable for struggling families and ensuring kids have the nutrition they need to thrive".

Elsewhere in the city, in the Hull North and Cottingham constituency, 8,920 children will be able to claim and in Hull West and Haltemprice, 7,150 will be able to eat for free during the school term.

In the East Riding parliamentary constituencies, Beverley and Holderness will see 3,560 extra recipients, Bridlington and The Wolds 4,860 and Goole and Pocklington 4,020 extra.

Nationally, the change would mean an additional 500,000 children will become eligible.

The Department for Education has set aside £1bn to fund the change up to 2029.

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