Important changes to free school meals from September 2026
Dear families,
The Department for Education (DfE) is introducing changes to the national free school meals (FSM) eligibility criteria from September.
All families currently entitled to FSM must reapply to continue receiving the benefit in September, as transitional protections* will end at the end of this school year (July 2026).
Also, the DfE are expanding FSM eligibility so many more families may now be eligible. We are therefore asking ALL parents and carers to apply over the summer.
If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, they will receive a free school meal
through the universal infant free school meals scheme. However, we still need you to apply as it can help the school receive additional funding to support pupils.
What you need to do
All families are requested to check eligibility by 1 September 2026, please use this link:
https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/pp-extendlearning/ 
It is important that you apply, as this will enable the school to receive additional funding that provides extra support and benefit to children.
To make the online application, you will need to provide:
- First name, surname (as used by HMRC) and date of birth of the parent or carer making the claim
- National Insurance number or National Asylum Support Service (NASS) reference
- Relationship to child
- Email address (if you want to receive notice of your application outcome)
- Home address
- Child’s name and date of birth
- Name of school the child attends
If you have more than one child, you can add them to the same application.
The application is quick to complete and only takes a few minutes – no login is required.
If you experience any difficulty applying, please contact the school office when we return in September and we will be happy to help you.
If you apply and your application is unsuccessful, you can reapply if another parent or carer responsible for the child receives a qualifying benefit.
Why is it changing?
Expanded entitlement for families on Universal Credit
From the start of September 2026, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals, regardless of earnings. Registering for free school meals can provide benefits beyond school lunches. Eligibility may also help our school access additional funding to support teaching, resources and pastoral care for pupils.
There will be two types of eligibility:
- Targeted FSM: for households in receipt of universal credit earning £7,400 or less (includes free meals and additional support such as pupil premium). Other educational entitlements such as the Holiday Activities and Food program (HAF) and the ‘extended rights’ element of school travel assistance, will also continue to be based on targeted FSM.
- Expanded FSM: for households in receipt of universal credit earning above £7,400 (free meals only)
Families with no recourse to public funds may also be eligible for Targeted FSM dependent on a different criteria. This means that even if a family’s immigration status usually prevents them from claiming regular government benefits (which is known as having No Recourse to Public Funds or NRPF), their children can still get Free School Meals (FSM).
Pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will continue to be entitled to free school meals under the universal infant free school meals scheme.
*End of transitional protections
Since 2018, some children have continued to receive free school meals, even if their family circumstances changed during the rollout of Universal Credit. This is referred to as transitional protections. Transitional protection is a safeguard that ensures you are not financially worse off when moving to a new system, such as transitioning from old legacy benefits to Universal Credit.
If your child currently receives a free school meal because they've been protected under the transitional protection rules, but you no longer receive Universal Credit, their entitlement will end on 31 August 2026.
This means:
- Some children may no longer be eligible from September 2026 if their family does not receive Universal Credit or another qualifying benefit
- Eligibility will now be based on current benefit status
Need help?
We have provided some helpful frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) via our trust website: https://www.extendlearning.org/Free-school-meals-FSM-FAQs/
Please contact the school office when we return in September if you need help applying. We understand discussing finances can feel difficult and all conversations will be handled sensitively and confidentially.
Thank you for your support.
Marie Berry
Headteacher
