The Fostering Network has launched a new campaign with TACT Fostering calling on the Government to introduce automatic free school meal entitlement for all children in care in England. The campaign follows growing concerns that recent changes to free school meal eligibility could have unintended consequences to many children in foster care.
As part of the campaign, The Fostering Network and TACT Fostering, along with other leading fostering and charities including NAFP, Adoption UK, CoramBAAF, Foster Talk, BASW and Home for Good have written to Lucy Powell MP, Secretary of State for Education and Josh MacAlister MP, Children’s and Families Minister, highlighting consequences of the changes and urging the Government to act.
The Fostering Network surveyed 713 foster carers in England and more than half (51%) responded that the children in their care were expected to lose their entitlement to free school meals from September 2026.
The new approach to eligibility means a child's access to free school meals is determined by the circumstances of their foster carer rather than the child’s own needs. Foster carers reported that children can lose entitlement even when households face genuine financial pressures, particularly where carers do not qualify for Universal Credit due to savings for retirement or other eligibility rules. A third of current foster carers are of pensionable age.
Many foster carers reported that losing free school meal entitlement could increase household costs by more than £100 per child each month. For families caring for multiple children, these additional costs could be substantial. Some carers said they would need to cut spending on children's activities, clothing and other opportunities, while others warned that rising financial pressures could affect their ability to continue fostering.
The findings also show that free school meals provide benefits far beyond nutrition. Foster carers described how school meals offer stability, routine, social inclusion and opportunities to develop healthy relationships with food, all of which can be particularly important for children who have experienced trauma, neglect or poverty.
There are also concerns that children who lose free school meal eligibility will also lose access to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, reducing opportunities for food provision, enrichment activities and social connections during school holidays.
Call for automatic entitlement
A clear message emerged from foster carers taking part in the survey: all children in care should receive free school meals automatically, regardless of their foster carer's income, savings, age or benefit status. Foster carers argued that, as the corporate parent, the state should ensure all children in its care have access to this basic support.
Through the campaign, The Fostering Network and TACT are calling on the Government to:
- Introduce automatic free school meal entitlement for all children in care in England.
- Ensure children in care retain access to associated schemes, including the Holiday Activities and Food programme.
- Provide clear guidance to schools, local authorities and fostering services on eligibility arrangements.
- Consider the wider impact of these changes on foster carer recruitment and retention.
The campaign forms part of The Fostering Network's wider work to ensure children in care receive the support they need to thrive and that foster carers are properly supported to provide stable, loving homes.
