Free School Meals
Your child can get a free school meal if you receive any of the following:
- Universal Credit (provided they have a household income of no more than £7,400)
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Pupils eligible under the no recourse to public funds criteria can also get a free school meal.
Schools receive additional funding and the pupil may be entitled to other benefits.
If you receive Universal Credit but your household income is more than £7,400, your child can get a free school meal only. In this case, you can apply now but your child won’t be eligible until the new school year (1 Sept 2026).
Apply today if you receive any of these benefits. It takes 5 mins and in most cases we can tell you straightaway if your child can get free meals at school.
Click here to check your eligibility, then apply.
Have your National Insurance number or Home Office number to hand when you apply.
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until March 2025, or until they finish their current phase of schooling (primary or secondary), if that’s after the end of March 2025.
Additional Financial Support
Registering your child for FSM not only supports your child with school meal costs but also enables the school to provide additional financial assistance where needed for things such as educational trips, equipment and uniforms throughout their education.
Registering for FSM is confidential. While taking a meal is free, they are optional. Registering will help you access additional financial support even if your child does not eat the free meal regularly.
Please also see our Finance Assistance page to find out more about financial support offered by local charities.
