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Free School Meals
Children may be entitled to free school meals if their parent or carer receives certain benefits.
From September 2026, all children from households receiving Universal Credit can get free school meals, regardless of household income. All previous transitional protections for free school meals will end alongside the new entitlement applying to all households in receipt of Universal Credit.
In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria, pupils attending school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools must be receiving full-time education, or if part time, must be receiving education both before and after the lunch period to be entitled to a free meal.
Students enrolled in state-funded further education institutions are also entitled to receive free meals.
Who can get Free School Meals
- Children attending school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools must be receiving full-time education, or if part time, must be receiving education both before and after the lunch period
- Pupils in state-funded primary schools
- Pupils in state-funded secondary schools
- Pupils in state-funded special schools
- Students enrolled in state-funded further education institutions
If your child attends one of the above and you receive one of the qualify benefits, check whether your child is entitled to a free meal; apply for FSMs on the Citizens Portal here.
Qualifying Benefits
Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
Check whether your child is entitled to a free meal; apply for FSMs on the Citizens Portal here
The check result is valid for the full academic year (2026-27). The Council will reassess eligibility on an annual basis, every summer.
Some families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) may also qualify under separate government rules: Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) - GOV.UK.
Applications must be verified by the council or your child's school.
How to apply for Free School Meals
To check whether your child is entitled to a free meal, apply for FSMs on the Citizens Portal here.
- Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing threshold, covering pupils who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. In addition to receiving free meals, pupils eligible for targeted FSM will attract pupil premium and other disadvantage funding for their schools.
- Expanded FSM, a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit. Pupils eligible for expanded FSM will be entitled to meals only.
If you have any questions, please contact the Free School Meals Team: