“For ‘£850’ substitute ‘£995’… after paragraph (c) insert: ‘(d) the parents of the pupil are in receipt of state pension credit.’” With that line, signed on 21 January and laid at Holyrood on 23 January, Ministers confirmed a fresh widening of means‑tested free school meals. The change takes effect on 1 April 2026 and applies to pupils in Scotland whose families receive Universal Credit or, newly, State Pension Credit.

In plain terms, the monthly earned‑income limit for Universal Credit claimants rises from £850 to £995. As with previous years, the threshold is assessed over the Universal Credit monthly assessment period before an application, and where parents are a couple it is their combined earnings that count. This keeps eligibility aligned with pay and prevents families dropping out of support due to wage rises alone, a rationale the Government has set out in past updates. (gov.scot)

This is the latest step in an annual series of adjustments. In April 2024 the cap moved from £726 to £796; in April 2025 it rose again to £850 as the National Living Wage increased. The 2026 rise to £995 continues that pattern of uprating the means‑tested route to free meals for pupils not already covered by universal provision. (legislation.gov.uk)

Universal free school meals remain in place for all pupils in Primaries 1–5 and in special schools, while P6–P7 pupils receiving the Scottish Child Payment are now included. Since August 2025, a test phase has also offered S1–S3 meals in eight council areas for pupils on Scottish Child Payment, taking the total number of pupils offered free meals to more than 360,000. (mygov.scot)

Councils now have a short window to switch application portals, letters and back‑office checks to the £995 figure and to recognise State Pension Credit as a qualifying benefit. Families should still file a claim even where meals are universal in P1–P5, because councils often use the application to award holiday support and to draw down funding. The Borders council’s guidance is a useful pointer on that practice. (scotborders.gov.uk)

For parents, the immediate to‑do list is simple. Check the monthly earnings shown on your most recent Universal Credit statement before you apply; if you’re a couple, look at the combined figure. If someone in the household receives State Pension Credit from 1 April, that now qualifies. Apply through your local authority’s website or the school office, and keep your UC statement handy in case the council requests it. (gov.scot)

Set against the wider programme, ministers say free school meals are saving families around £400 per child per year and helping with the weekly shop. Uptake has been climbing, and the expansion into selected secondary schools adds further demand on kitchens and suppliers that straddle the M74 and A1 corridors into the North. Expect pressure on catering teams in spring term as order volumes rise. (gov.scot)

For readers on the English side of the Border-Northumberland, Cumbria and the North East-this change applies only to pupils attending schools in Scotland. England operates different eligibility rules. Families moving north around Easter should check which side of the line their child will be educated on, and apply to the relevant council accordingly.

Charities have pressed for simpler admin, including limited data‑sharing to auto‑award when families receive the Scottish Child Payment. Ministers laid regulations last year to enable that, aiming to cut delays for councils and reduce form‑filling for parents. Watch for updated local authority guidance as April approaches. (gov.scot)

Key dates: made on 21 January 2026, laid on 23 January 2026, in force on 1 April 2026. Schools and councils will brief families after half‑term; parents who think they now qualify should apply early, ahead of the Easter break, so awards are in place for the summer term. The Northern Ledger will track council‑by‑council switch‑over to the £995 threshold. (mygov.scot)