From September 2026, all children living in households that receive Universal Credit will be eligible for Free School Meals (FSM). This means that many more families will now qualify.

To reflect these changes, all parents and carers must apply or reapply for FSM, even if their child already receives free school meals. This will allow eligibility to be confirmed under the new criteria and ensure that children continue to receive their entitlement, while also enabling schools to access any additional funding available to support pupils.