Schools and education
Universal infant free school meals
Change documented
2014 introduction; 2017 manifesto proposal to replace free lunches; proposal not implemented.
Fact-check
2014 introduction; 2017 manifesto proposal to replace free lunches; proposal not implemented.
The evidence
Links go to the original records: Hansard, legislation, official guidance and news reports. A before-and-after pair is not always proof of a direct contradiction, so read the originals for exact wording.
Before: the earlier position
After: what changed
What the source documents claim
These are summaries from the original documents behind this archive. They have not been checked word for word. Where they differ from the fact-check above, the fact-check is the more reliable account.
Universal Infant Free School Meals (2014 vs. 2017 U-Turn)
Document B, case 8
- First Announcement (September 2014)
- Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) was introduced, granting every child in Reception, Year 1, and Year 2 in England a free hot lunch regardless of household income.
- Attempted Reversal & U-Turn (May – June 2017)
- The May 2017 Conservative manifesto proposed replacing universal free lunches with free school breakfasts, but following widespread public backlash, the government abandoned the cut in the June 2017 Queen's Speech.
Register entry 33. Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.