Free school meals

Many families in the borough are struggling to afford the basics, but lots of children who are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) are not yet receiving them.

The benefits of FSM

• savings of more than £450 a year per child
• saves time making packed lunches
• your child gets a healthy tasty, cooked meal
• children achieve more when they've had a cooked lunch
• school gets extra funding to help children in their education (pupil premium- up to £1455 a year per child)

Eligibility 

Income assessed FSM - 2026/27 school year

Information for the 2025/26 school year is at the bottom of this page. 

Your child will be able to get FSM if you receive any of the following:

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Universal Credit – however see below details

From the start of the 2026/27 school year, all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to receive a free school meal. However, there will be 2 categories of Universal Credit based FSM :

• 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
• Expanded FSM: a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings above £7,400.

From September 2026, other education entitlements linked to FSM (such as the Holiday Activities and Food programme, and School Travel Assistance) will be based upon those who meet the Targeted FSM criteria. Those who fall into the expanded FSM group will be entitled to meals only.

Under the new criteria, your FSM eligibility will be checked annually and the result will be valid for the full academic year.

If you receive Universal Credit and do not currently qualify for FSM due to earning over the threshold of £7,400, but would now qualify from September 2026, you can now apply in advance.

Transitional Protections

Since 1 April 2018, all existing FSM claimants have continued to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out, regardless of any change in household circumstances that would have ended eligibility.

However this protection will end at the close of the 2025/26 school year and households must meet the eligibility criteria for FSM to continue receiving this support.

School Holiday Support payment

If you receive Free School Meals and wish to claim support during the school holidays, please see our School holiday support payment page.

Changes to tell us about

• you start work and come off benefits
• your benefit changes
• you change address
• your child changes school
• you have another child starting school for the first time

Universal FSM

Your child will be able to get FSM if they are in a government-funded school and they are in:

• reception - you can apply as soon as your child's school place has been confirmed
• year 1
• year 2

Whilst your child will automatically receive these free meals, if you meet the above income based criteria, it is recommended that you still apply for support as this may allow you to access additional benefits such as the Holiday Activities and Food scheme and School Holiday Support Payments. This will also allow your child’s school to claim additional funding that can be used to improve your child’s education.

Access for School Administrators

You can use our self service facility to check which of your pupils qualify for free school meals.

No recourse to public funds

If you are not able to access financial help from us e.g. benefits, your child will only be able to get FSM if they fall into one of the following eligible groups:

• Zambrano carers
• families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Chen carers
• families holding a BN(O) passport
• spousal visa holders
• work visa holders
• student visa holders
• those with no immigration status

You will also need to evidence that your annual household income is below:

• £22,700 for families with one child
• £26,300 for families with two or more children

In addition to these thresholds, families must hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.