Free school meals eligibility expands for universal credit families

From the beginning of the 26/27 school year, free school meals eligibility will expand to all households that receive Universal Credit. The £7,400 net earnings threshold for free school meals is being removed. So are the protections which allowed a child to have FSM, even if their circumstances changed. This means schools and local authorities will now need to check which children meet the FSM criteria before every school year.

How will schools check free school meals eligibility?

Schools and local authorities will need to review eligibility before the start of each academic year. This means families may be asked to confirm their circumstances to ensure children continue to qualify for free school meals.