We want to make sure that we are providing your child with the best education and support we can. Healthy school food has obvious health benefits and can help pupils establish healthy habits for life. Healthy school food can also help to improve pupils’ readiness to learn.

Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM)

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a meal, free of charge, under the UIFSM programme:

• registration is not required
• each child will be able to have a hot, two-course meal, which includes a meat or non-meat main item, vegetables, potato, pasta or rice, salad and a dessert

Income related free school meals (FSM)

Upcoming Changes

From September 2026, the eligibility criteria for Free School Meals will change. All households receiving Universal Credit will be included, but eligibility will be divided into two groups:

• Targeted Free School Meals
  For households receiving Universal Credit with an annual income below £7,400.
• Expanded Free School Meals
  For households receiving Universal Credit with an annual income above £7,400.

What You Need to Do

• If your child already receives Free School Meals, you do not need to do anything.  The school will recheck your child’s eligibility in September on your behalf.
• If you think your child may now be eligible, please submit an application through the Hampshire portal: Online FSM Application.  If you prefer to complete a paper application form, please contact the school office.
• Please note: children eligible under the expanded criteria will only begin to receive Free School Meals from September 2026.

If You Disagree with a Decision

If you have applied and believe the decision is incorrect, please contact the school. We can contact Hampshire County Council on your behalf to request further advice.

Important Information for Reception and Key Stage 1 Parents

All children in Early Years Foundation Stage or Key Stage 1 already receive free meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. However, we still encourage you to apply.

This is because schools receive Pupil Premium funding for children who qualify under Targeted Free School Meal eligibility. This funding helps support your child during their time at school.

Transitional Protections (until August 2026)

Transitional protections have been in place since 1 April 2018 and will continue until the end of the 2025 to 2026 school year.

During this time:

• Any child who becomes eligible for benefits based Free School Meals will continue to receive them until July 2026.
• This will not change even if household income increases.

From September 2026, these protections will end. From this point, all families must meet the new eligibility rules for their child to receive Free School Meals.

For more information on Free School Meals please follow this link to the Government Website

Apply for free school meals - GOV.UK

Free school meals eligibility criteria

A child is eligible for free school meals if their parent or carer receives one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Job Seekers' Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit, and have an annual gross income, of no more than £16,190 as assessed by His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (Parents who are made redundant or start working less that 16 hours per week, may find their children are entitled to free meals for a limited period.)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit (before September 2026 provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods, from September 2026 all pupils from families claiming universal credit)

No other benefits qualify for free school meals from Key Stage 2 (years 3, 4, 5, 6) or for the pupil premium for Reception Year and Key Stage 1 (years 1, 2).

To check if your child is eligible, please complete the Online Application form for free school meals 

Free school meals (FSM) FAQs

How does it work in practice?

Children eligible for FSM are able to book their lunches using the booking system in advance free of charge.

Will the fact my child is registered for FSM be made public?

We keep this information as confidential as possible. We do not publish identifying details of children registered for FSM.

What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is funding made available to schools based on the number of children eligible for Targeted Free School Meals.

My household has no recourse to public funds (NRPF). Is my child eligible for FSM?

Children of households with NRPF may be eligible, this includes:

• Zambrano and Chen carers (non-EEA nationals caring for a British citizen residing in the UK)
• British National (Overseas) passport holders
• Spousal visa, work visa, or student visa holders
• Those with no immigration status
• Families with a right to remain in the UK under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights
• Families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• Certain failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

The maximum income thresholds for families with NRPF who can work are:

• £22,700 for families outside London with 1 child
• £26,300 for families outside London with 2 or more children

Families with NRPF must also have no more than £16,000 in capital and savings to be eligible for FSM.

NRPF: How to register for free school meals

The process for registering for free school meals is different as we have to check your eligibility in a different way.

Please use the Application form for free school meals from families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) and return it with your supporting evidence to the school office.