The UK Government’s newly-published Child Poverty Strategy consolidates a range of measures aimed at supporting children and families facing food insecurity, combining previously announced initiatives with the continuation of existing policies. The strategy places nutritional safety nets at its core, showing potential to improve conditions for the 15% of households with children currently experiencing food insecurity, but experts emphasize that this is only an initial step in a broader, ongoing effort.
Among the strategy’s most significant measures are the removal of the two-child limit and the expansion of Free School Meals (FSMs) to all children in families on Universal Credit. These interventions are expected to lift thousands of children out of poverty, targeting the families most at risk and ensuring more children can access adequate nutrition both at school and home. Strengthening nutrition safety nets is crucial, with the strategy reaffirming commitments to updated school food standards and the continuation of Universal Infant Free School Meals. However, the absence of auto-enrolment for FSMs is seen as a major gap, leaving many eligible children unable to access meals due to administrative barriers.
The strategy also maintains commitments to breakfast clubs in primary schools and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, although concerns remain regarding funding adequacy to meet growing demand. The 10% increase in Healthy Start benefits is welcomed but is insufficient to keep pace with rising costs of infant formula, fruits, and vegetables. While steps on infant formula pricing and gift card usage provide clarity, they fall short of ensuring affordability for families in deepest poverty. Efforts to involve retailers more effectively in the Healthy Start scheme also require further support and expansion to align with FSM eligibility.
Local authority action is supported through the Crisis Resilience Fund and initiatives like Best Start Family Hubs, aiming to provide more dignified, preventive approaches to food insecurity. The government’s commitment to commence the socio-economic duty under the Equality Act 2010 represents an important step, ensuring public bodies consider socio-economic disadvantage in their decision-making. However, gaps remain for children with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), as income thresholds for eligibility have not yet been updated to match FSM expansions.
The strategy outlines plans for monitoring and evaluation, including a baseline report to be published in 2026 with annual follow-ups, and the continuation of the Child Poverty Unit to ensure cross-government coordination. While significant progress has been made, particularly on FSM expansion and the two-child limit, tackling child food insecurity will require sustained ambition. Key next steps include addressing food and formula affordability, expanding Healthy Start, ensuring sufficient holiday food provision, implementing FSM auto-enrolment, and maintaining a strong focus on nutritional quality across early-years and school settings to secure lasting impact.
