Free School Meals - Update June 2025

In April 2018, the Department for Education put in place protections for free school meal eligibility during the period of the Universal Credit roll out to ensure that no child would lose their entitlement. These protections were in place until March 2025, but the DFE has now announced these have been extended until the end of the 2025/26 school year. 

All pupils eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances or phase of education until the end of the 2025/26 school year. 

The Department for Education is planning to introduce new eligibility criteria from the start of the 2026/27 school year, meaning that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals and further guidance is expected before this time. 

As a reminder the current benefits which attract Free School Meals are: 

• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400.  
• Income Support  
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance  
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance  
• Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999  
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit  
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)  
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190  

How to apply 

Parents should be encouraged to apply online. Information and a link to the online application service.     

Alternatively, an application form can be issued to those who prefer not to use the online service. 

It would be helpful if any applications received for the school year 2025/26 could be sent through to the Admissions Team on receipt. 

Free School Meals for those with No Recourse to Public Funds  

The government extended Free School Meal eligibility to children in households with no recourse to public finds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds. 

These groups include, but may not be limited to children of: 

• Zambrano carers 
• Families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights 
• Families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction 
• A subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 
• Chen carers 
• Families holding a BN(O) passport 
• Spousal visa holders 
• Work visa holders 
• Student visa holders 
• Those with no immigration status 

As these families are not in receipt of Universal Credit or a legacy benefit, they will not be able to apply using the online application system and we will not be able to confirm eligibility using the DFE's Eligibility Checking System.  These families should be directed to Norfolk County Council's free school meals information page  where there is a separate application which can be downloaded.   

School Access Module (SAM) 

Details of children entitled to free school meals can be viewed on the School Access Module (Synergy Web - norfolk.gov.uk).

• Login using the Username and Password  
• View FSM Eligibility 
• In the Search Fields - select FSM Status "Entitled" 
• Click Search again and the children will be listed 
• Once displayed this information can be exported to a spreadsheet under the "Actions" tab if needed. 

You can view children who are entitled to Free School Meals and who are starting at the school in September by selecting "Entitled" and under School Options click on "Use Accepted Preference School" (please click the search button twice for the list to be displayed).