Free School Meals and Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)
Free school meals are available to all Foundation Stage 2 (Reception), Year 1 and Year 2 pupils and to children whose parents receive certain benefits.
Universal Infant Free School Meals
For children in Foundation Stage 2, Year 1 and Year 2, this is known as Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme and is part of the Government's pledge. You do not need to complete an application form or provide any other information, your child simply let's their class teacher know each morning if they will be having a school meal for that day.
UIFSM is not means-tested, however, if you do qualify for any financial support, as shown below, we would encourage you to complete an application form as this could enable us to claim the Pupil Premium Funding to further support your child. If you wish to know more about this and believe you are eligible then please contact Mrs Long in the School Office who will guide you through the process.
Free School Meals - Key Stage 2
Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit (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)
• Income Support • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
In addition, the following pupils will be protected against losing their free school meals:
• Since 1 April 2018, all existing free school meals claimants have continued to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This applies regardless of any change in household circumstances, including if their earnings rise above the threshold during that time. Protections will remain in place until the end of the 2025/26 school year.
• From the start of the 2026/27 school year, the Department for Education will extend entitlement to free school meals to include all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit. It is our intention to end transitional protections alongside this change in threshold, with eligibility for all pupils reverting to whether they meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of whether they were previously protected. We will issue further guidance ahead of September 2026.
For further information, please contact Mrs Long in the School Office.
