Free school meals in England: who qualifies and how to apply

Who qualifies

Your child may be able to get free school meals if your household receives one of several qualifying benefits, including Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, or the guaranteed element of Pension Credit.

For most of these benefits there is no separate income test — receiving the qualifying benefit is what matters. The one exception is Universal Credit, which carries its own income threshold, covered below.

GOV.UK also says children who receive one of these benefits directly, rather than through a parent or guardian, can qualify in their own right, and that a child below compulsory school age who is in full-time education can qualify on the same basis as an older child, provided the household gets a qualifying benefit.

The Universal Credit income threshold

That figure is net household income after tax, and does not include the benefits themselves. GOV.UK states this threshold applies “if you apply on or after 1 April 2018” without explaining what happens if your Universal Credit claim for free school meals goes back further than that — so if it does, check with your council rather than assuming the current threshold applies to you unchanged.

What is changing from academic year 2026 to 2027

If you are currently over the Universal Credit income threshold and have been told your child does not qualify, it is worth checking again once the academic year 2026 to 2027 change takes effect, rather than assuming the earlier decision still stands.

Free meals for younger children regardless of income

Separately from the benefits-based scheme, GOV.UK confirms that children in a government-funded school in reception, year 1 or year 2 get free school meals regardless of household income or benefits. This is sometimes called infant free school meals, and no application is needed for it in the same way — it applies to the year group.

GOV.UK still asks you to tell your local authority if you also receive one of the qualifying benefits described above, even while your child is getting infant free school meals automatically, because your child’s school can receive extra funding if you do, and because your child will need to be registered for benefits-based free school meals once they move into year 3.

How to apply

1. Check whether your household receives a qualifying benefit, and if it is Universal Credit, check the current income threshold above.
2. Apply through your local authority’s website — GOV.UK’s guidance points you to your council’s own process for checking eligibility and applying.
3. If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 at a government-funded school, tell your council about any qualifying benefit even though the meal is already free, so the school’s funding and your child’s future eligibility are recorded.
4. If you have no recourse to public funds and do not qualify for the listed benefits, ask the school or local authority directly, since GOV.UK says you may still be eligible.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Related guides

• Healthy Start: help buying food and vitamins in pregnancy and early childhood
• Household Support Fund: it has ended — here is what replaced it
• The Crisis and Resilience Fund: help from your council in England