There will be changes to Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility from September 2026.
Under the updated criteria, only families in receipt of Universal Credit will be eligible, as outlined below:
Targeted FSM
Children from households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less (the existing FSM threshold prior to expansion) will be eligible for targeted FSM. Pupils eligible under this category will continue to receive free meals and will also attract pupil premium and other disadvantage funding for their schools.
Expanded FSM (new category)
Children from households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings above £7,400 will be entitled to expanded FSM. This provides meals only and does not attract pupil premium funding.
Please note that pupils who are currently eligible for FSM, or who have been eligible previously, will no longer be protected under transitional arrangements. All families will be required to submit a new application, as transitional protections will cease at the end of the 2025/26 academic year.
The Local Authority will begin checking eligibility under the updated criteria when the new checking system goes live on 1 June 2026. Eligibility checks will be completed ahead of the new academic year to ensure all eligible pupils are ready to receive their entitlement from September.
They anticipate that the new FSM entitlement will lead to an increase in the number of pupils qualifying, including some who may be eligible for the first time.