Free school meals

Parents or carers of children attending an East Riding of Yorkshire school (not college) can apply for free school meals for their child(ren).

Changes to Free School Meals from the 2026/27 academic year

The Government has announced changes to Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility in England. These changes will expand access to FSM for more children.

What has changed?

From the 2026/27 academic year all children living in households receiving Universal Credit are entitled to Free School Meals, regardless of their level of earnings.

To support this change, new applications and eligibility checks began from 1 June 2026.

Eligibility until the end of the 2025/26 academic year

Children generally qualify for free school meals if:

  • their household receives a qualifying benefit; and
  • their annual earned income is £7,400 or less (after tax and excluding benefits) for families claiming Universal Credit.

Some children are also protected under transitional protection arrangements introduced in 2018, meaning they may continue to receive FSM even if their household circumstances change.

Eligibility until the end of the 2026/27 academic year

From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, there will be two groups:

  • Targeted Free School Meals
    Children in households receiving Universal Credit with annual earned income of £7,400 or less
  • Expanded Free School Meals
    Children in households receiving Universal Credit with earnings above £7,400.

End of transitional protection

From September 2026, transitional protection will end.

This means:

  • Existing Free School Meal awards will no longer be automatically protected
  • Households will need to meet the current eligibility criteria to continue receiving FSM
  • All claims will be reviewed to confirm eligibility under the new rules stated above.

What this means for families

  • You can apply for free school meals for the 2026/27 academic year
  • If your child already receives FSM, your entitlement will be reviewed before September 2026
  • More families receiving Universal Credit will become eligible under the expanded scheme.

Apply now

If you receive Universal Credit, you may now be eligible.

We encourage all parents and carers to apply as soon as possible to ensure support is in place for the new school year.

How do I apply for free school meals?

The fastest way to apply is online by answering the questions below.

Can my child receive free school meals whilst at college?

Children can receive free school meals if they are under 19-years-old, in full-time education and attending a school with a sixth form.

Can my child receive free school meals in nursery?

Three and four-year-old children may be eligible for free school meals if they attend a lunch-offering early education setting before and after lunchtime, if you as the parent are in receipt of any of the following benefits:

  • Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based)
  • Income Support
  • Universal Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (but NOT receiving Working Tax Credit) – provided your annual income, assessed by the Inland Revenue, does not exceed £16,190 (please note: this amount is subject to change in April every year)
  • Employment Support Allowance (income-related)
  • Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Working Tax Credit run on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

Your child does not need to attend for the full amount of early education that they are entitled to in order to be eligible, as long as they attend the setting before and after lunch on the days when a lunch is provided.

I am in financial difficulties, can you help in any other way?

If you are struggling financially or would like further information on benefits, please see the Your Money team's page.

Will I receive written notification if my application is successful, and how will the school be notified?

If your claim is successful, you will receive a text or email to confirm the start date.

You will need to let the school know that your child has been awarded free school meals.

Any changes in circumstances should be reported to the council as soon as possible.

What will my child receive as a recipient of free school meals?

Your child will receive a healthy, nutritional free meal at school.

All East Riding of Yorkshire schools which follow the current menu cycle produced by the East Riding school meals team, provide meals that meet the government's food standards.

How much does my child receive when eligible for free school meals?

Children do not receive cash.

The school will provide a free school meal. The allocation is a fixed amount to align with the 'meal deal' in secondary schools and the two-course school lunch in primary schools.

Can my free school meals allowance be back-dated?

No. Free school meals are awarded from the date a claim is made, once eligibility is checked and verified.

Will my child receive any support during the holidays?

Yes, the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides children and young people aged 5-16 years in receipt of benefit related free school meals a range of fun and creative activities to enjoy for free during the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays. All activities will be for 4 hours and will include a free meal for all participants.

To find out what opportunities are taking place in your area, please sign up to the HAF newsletter.

I have been receiving free school meals but this was wrong as I have been getting working tax credits, will I have to pay the council or the school this money back?

No. Free school meals eligibility will be ended from the date that you inform benefits that your circumstances have changed.

Subscribe to East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Stay updated on the latest East Riding news

We use GovDelivery to send you emails, which is secure and you can choose to stop receiving emails at any time.

Find out more in our Privacy notice.

Subscribe to East Riding News
Get in touch
Customer service centre
Get in touch

Alerts