Free school meals 2026: who qualifies under the new rules

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education says all children from households receiving Universal Credit who attend maintained schools, academies or free schools are entitled to a free meal, regardless of household earnings. The Department for Education guidance for England on GOV.UK was last updated on 5 October 2026.

The changes create two benefits-based free school meals categories, targeted FSM and expanded FSM. Families still need to make a claim, and eligibility must be verified by the school or local authority. Schools and local authorities will also carry out annual rechecks, so parents should understand which category their child falls into and when eligibility is checked.

Free school meals 2026: the key facts

These are the main points in the Department for Education guidance for England, as it stood on 5 October 2026.

• All Universal Credit households are included from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year.
• Targeted FSM uses an annual household earnings threshold of £7,400 for Universal Credit households.
• Expanded FSM covers Universal Credit households with annual household earnings above £7,400.
• Transitional protections end at the end of the 2025 to 2026 academic year.
• Eligibility should be rechecked annually from September 2026 onwards.
• For autumn 2026 only, eligibility checks may be completed up to and including 2 November 2026.

Who is eligible for free school meals in 2026?

The Department for Education says that, from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, eligibility is expanded to all children from households receiving Universal Credit, regardless of household earnings. Free school meals are also available where a pupil or their parent receives support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Households receiving income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guarantee element of Pension Credit may also qualify, as may eligible families with no recourse to public funds.

A claim must have been made and eligibility must be verified by the school where the pupil is enrolled or by the local authority. For pupils in school-based nurseries and maintained nursery schools, the Department for Education says they must also be receiving full-time education or, if attending part time, receive education both before and after the lunch period.

What is the difference between targeted and expanded free school meals?

The Department for Education says targeted FSM covers children in Universal Credit households with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. Pupils in this category receive free meals and attract pupil premium and other disadvantage funding for their schools. The Ever 6 FSM cohort, used for disadvantage funding and accountability, will also be based on targeted FSM from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Pupil premium is money for the school rather than the family, so if you are weighing up paying for extra help yourself, our guide to how much tutors cost in the UK sets out typical prices.

Other education entitlements previously linked to free school meal eligibility, including the Holiday Activities and Food programme and the extended rights element of school travel assistance, will continue to be based on targeted FSM. Expanded FSM is for children in households receiving Universal Credit whose annual household earnings exceed £7,400. The Department for Education describes expanded FSM as meals only.

Transitional protections have operated since 1 April 2018 and allowed pupils who became eligible under the benefits-based criteria to keep their entitlement even when household circumstances changed. Those protections continue only until the end of the 2025 to 2026 academic year. From the start of 2026 to 2027, households must meet the current eligibility criteria to continue receiving free school meals. Pupils who stop qualifying when protections end will still receive disadvantage funding through the pupil premium and National Funding Formula while they remain in the Ever 6 FSM cohort.

How do parents apply and when is free school meals eligibility checked?

The Department for Education says a pupil, parent or another responsible adult must make a claim before free school meals can be awarded. Schools may accept applications on paper or online and should provide an alternative for families who cannot use an online system. A family becomes eligible once its claim has been verified through the checking service or through other acceptable evidence.

Schools and local authorities use information including the claimant surname, date of birth and National Insurance number to check whether a family meets targeted or expanded FSM criteria. The result of a check is valid for the full academic year. From September 2026 onwards, eligibility should be rechecked annually ahead of the October census, including confirmation of whether the pupil falls within targeted or expanded FSM.

For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, checks should have been completed before the start of the autumn term where possible. As a one-off arrangement for the autumn 2026 school census, the Department for Education says settings may complete both annual rechecks and new-claim eligibility checks up to and including 2 November 2026 instead of the usual 1 October deadline. Checks completed by that date and recorded through the autumn census will be factored into funding allocations.

Do reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils get free school meals?

Yes. The Department for Education says all pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools are entitled to free meals under the universal infant free school meals policy. This entitlement is stated separately from the benefits-based targeted and expanded FSM categories. What is served is changing as well, and our explainer on the new school food standards in England covers that side of school lunches.

Parents may still need to consider benefits-based FSM eligibility because targeted FSM is connected with pupil premium, other disadvantage funding, the Holiday Activities and Food programme and the extended rights element of school travel assistance. The Department for Education says targeted FSM also determines the Ever 6 FSM cohort from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

Can families with no recourse to public funds get free school meals?

The Department for Education says eligible children in households with no recourse to public funds continue to be eligible for free school meals in the 2026 to 2027 academic year. Its updated guidance, dated 5 October 2026, creates targeted and expanded NRPF income thresholds. A child can qualify only under one of these threshold sets, and household income must be below the relevant annual household net income threshold.

The maximum depends on whether the family lives inside or outside London and whether it has one child or two or more children. The family address determines which location threshold applies. Families living in one of the 32 London boroughs or the City of London use the London maximum. Parents or carers must also hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.

• Targeted NRPF: £28,500 outside London with 1 child.
• Targeted NRPF: £29,400 outside London with 2 or more children.
• Targeted NRPF: £32,700 in London with 1 child.
• Targeted NRPF: £34,800 in London with 2 or more children.
• Expanded NRPF: £29,400 outside London with 1 child.
• Expanded NRPF: £37,300 outside London with 2 or more children.
• Expanded NRPF: £35,000 in London with 1 child.
• Expanded NRPF: £43,100 in London with 2 or more children.

What should parents check about free school meals this year?

The Department for Education says many families become eligible for the first time under expanded FSM. Schools and local authorities are expected to promote awareness, accept new applications and process eligibility checks so pupils can receive meals from the start of the academic year where eligible. If your child has just moved up to secondary school, our guide to surviving Year 7 and our Year 6 to Year 7 transition guide cover the other admin that lands in the first term.

• Check whether your household receives Universal Credit or another qualifying form of support.
• Make a free school meals claim because entitlement must be claimed and verified.
• Ask whether your child is recorded as targeted FSM or expanded FSM.
• If your child previously relied on transitional protection, check eligibility under the 2026 to 2027 rules.
• Make sure the school or local authority has the information needed to complete the annual eligibility check.
• If NRPF applies to your family, check the relevant targeted or expanded income threshold and the £16,000 capital and savings limit.

Does every Universal Credit family now qualify for free school meals?

From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, the Department for Education says all children from households receiving Universal Credit who attend the relevant schools are entitled to a free meal. Those with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less fall within targeted FSM, while those above that earnings level fall within expanded FSM.

Does expanded free school meals eligibility include pupil premium?

No. The Department for Education says expanded FSM is meals only. Pupil premium and other disadvantage funding are linked to targeted FSM, as are the Holiday Activities and Food programme and the extended rights element of school travel assistance.

Do free school meals need to be applied for again every year?

The Department for Education says free school meals eligibility should be monitored through annual rechecks. A check result is valid for the full academic year, and rechecks should confirm both continuing eligibility and whether the pupil falls within targeted or expanded FSM.

Where can parents get help with a free school meals application?

Parents who are unsure about eligibility, the application process, an annual recheck or which FSM category applies should ask their school office or local authority. Schools and local authorities are responsible for carrying out and recording eligibility checks using the information needed to verify entitlement.

This article is a summary of published guidance, not benefits advice. If you would like to talk about learning support for your child, you can book a tutor or get in touch with our team.