Free School Meals
Free school meals help to make sure that children and young people can access a healthy meal during the school day. They also help schools access additional funding to support pupils.
Changes to free school meal eligibility from September 2026
The government has announced changes to free school meal eligibility from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
From September 2026, all children from households receiving Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.
This means more families will now qualify for support.
As part of these changes, the previous transitional protection arrangements ended at the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Transitional protection allowed some children to continue receiving free school meals even if their family circumstances changed.
Eligibility is now assessed under the new national criteria.
Types of free school meal eligibility
There are now 2 types of free school meal eligibility.
These are:
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targeted free school meals
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expanded free school meals
Targeted free school meals
Children eligible for targeted free school meals get:
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free school meals
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access to the holiday activities and food programme
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Pupil Premium funding for their school
Expanded free school meals
Children eligible for expanded free school meals only get free school meals.
Schools do not receive Pupil Premium funding for children eligible under the expanded free school meal criteria.
What has stayed the same
Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 still get universal infant free school meals (UIFSM).
However, if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 and is eligible for targeted free school meals, it is still important that you submit an application.
Although your child already receives a free school meal through UIFSM, a successful targeted free school meal application means the school can receive additional government funding through the Pupil Premium.
Eligibility
For targeted free school meals:
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Children from households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less.
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Households qualifying for free meals because they are in receipt of support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
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Households in receipt of Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guarantee element of Pension Credit or families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).
For expanded free school meals:
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Children from households in receipt of Universal Credit, with annual household earnings exceeding £7,400.
When to apply
Applications for free school meals for the 2026 to 2027 academic year are now open.
If you have not already applied, you should submit an application as soon as possible. Early applications help make sure that free school meal arrangements are in place right away. It helps schools and families to access support as quickly as possible.
Applying quickly also helps schools identify eligible pupils and put the appropriate support in place throughout the academic year.
Please click here for further guidance. The application can be completed online or by form.