The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (Commencement No. 1) (England) Regulations 2026

These Regulations are the first commencement regulations bringing into force provision in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (c. 21) (“the Act”).

Regulation 2 brings into force, on 1st June 2026, section 33 of the Act (free school meals etc: information sharing).

Section 33 of the Act amends section 110 of the Education Act 2005 (c. 18) (“the 2005 Act”), which makes provision for social security and tax credit information held by other government departments to be supplied to the Department for Education and the Welsh Ministers, and ultimately to local authorities in England and Wales, for use in determining eligibility of claimants for free school lunches and milk.

The amendments made by section 33 of the Act to section 110 of the 2005 Act enable social security (including asylum support) and tax credit information to be shared with the appropriate authority of certain schools in England (as well as local authorities) for the purpose of determining eligibility for free school lunches and milk. They also enable the information to be shared for the purpose of determining whether financial assistance is payable to a local authority or relevant school in England in connection with child welfare or the provision of education. They also enable a person with whom the information is shared to communicate decisions made about eligibility for free school lunches and milk, and about whether financial assistance is payable, with parents, local authorities and relevant schools in England.