Since September 2026, eligibility for free school meals has been extended to all pupils from households receiving Universal Credit. This means more families than ever before may now be eligible, and we want to make sure no one misses out.

Even if your child currently receives a free meal through the universal infant free school meals scheme, it's really important that you apply for benefits-based FSM if you're eligible. This helps us secure additional funding (pupil premium) that we can use to support your child's learning.

Who is Eligible for FSM?

There are now two categories of free school meals:

1. Targeted FSM (attracts pupil premium funding for the school)

Your child qualifies for targeted FSM if your household receives:

• Universal Credit, and has annual household earnings of £7,400 or less
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Your child may also be entitled to targeted FSM if your household:

• Receives income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Receives the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Has no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

2. Expanded FSM (free meals only)

This is a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit.

Please note: Pupils in NRPF households are eligible for FSM subject to maximum income thresholds. If this applies to your family, please get in touch with the school office and we'll help you with the application process.

How to Apply: A simple step-by-step guide

Applying is straightforward, and we're here to help if you need any support:

Step 1: Start your application

Parents can start the application process on the GOV.UK website. Alternatively, you can contact our school office and we'll support you with this.

Step 2: Provide the required information

You'll need to provide details including your:

• Surname
• Date of birth
• National insurance number

Step 3: We check your eligibility

We'll work with Derbyshire County Council to check eligibility via the DfE's digital checking system. The system will tell us whether families meet the targeted or expanded FSM eligibility criteria.

Step 4: We'll let you know the outcome

We'll confirm whether your application has been successful and, if so, your child will start receiving free school meals straight away. These results are valid for the full academic year.

Step 5: Enjoy the benefits

Your child will receive a nutritious free meal every day, and if you qualify for targeted FSM, the school will receive pupil premium funding that we can use to provide additional support for your child's education.

What Happens to your Information?

Your application is completely confidential. We use a secure government system to check eligibility, and no one else will know that you've applied. We record pupils who qualify for FSM in our school census in the same way as all other FSM pupils and retain evidence of the application.

We're here to help

If you have any questions, need help completing the form, or would prefer to discuss this in person, please don't hesitate to contact the school office. We can:

• Help you complete the application
• Explain the process in more detail
• Arrange a confidential conversation

There's absolutely no stigma attached to applying for free school meals – it's a valuable entitlement that helps both your family and our school.

Why it matters
Registering for FSM not only means your child receives a healthy, nutritious meal every day, but if you qualify for targeted FSM, it also brings in additional funding (pupil premium) that we use to provide extra support, resources, and opportunities for your child.

Please do take a moment to check if you're eligible – it only takes a few minutes and could make a real difference.

Apply now