St John's CE First School School Free School Meals online application form - Click here 

From the start of the 2026 - 2027 academic year, the Government plans to expand access to Free School Meals to all children and young people from households receiving Universal Credit.

From 1 September 2026, all children with a parent/carer who receives any level of Universal Credit can have free school meals. The application window opened on 1st June 2026 and all parents/carers must apply.

There will be two categories of eligibility:

Eligible Targeted: this covers children in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. These children will attract Pupil Premium, access to free holiday clubs and other disadvantage funding for their schools. Eligibility for Free School Meals will start from the date of approval and will be eligible until 31st of August 2027. At St John’s First School pupils who receive this funding receive additional support as well as free school meals. To receive this support for 2026 - 2027 applications must be completed before the end of term. 

Eligible Expanded: this covers children who are in households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings exceeding £7,400. These children will be entitled to Free School Meals only and Eligibility for FSM will start from 1 September 2026 and be eligible until 31st August 2027.

NB: Due to these changes, everyone currently eligible for Free Schools will be required to reapply to continue to be eligible for Free School Meals. The current arrangement for FSM will end on the 31st August 2026. If you think you are eligible, we strongly recommend applying online as early as possible to allow for your application to be processed in readiness for the new academic year.

You can apply online via the Initio Learning Trust Free School Meals Application: Free School Meals Application. If one or more of your children already get free school meals and you have a younger child starting school, you will still need to apply for that child. If you are uploading a Universal Credit statement, please upload all pages of your latest statement, including the total deductions. 

When you complete an online application school staff don't see any specific information about your income or the benefits you receive. 

Apply for free school meals 

To apply for free school meals for your child, please click on the link below. 

St John's CE First School Free School Meals online application form - Click here 

You'll need your National Insurance number or Asylum Seekers Service number so we can make automated checks to confirm your entitlement. 

We'll let you know straight away if you qualify for free school meals and send you a confirmation email. 

If you need any help in completing the form, please contact the school office on 01202 883675 and we can assist.