Free School Meals

 Changes to Free School Meals from September 2026

We want to make families aware of some upcoming changes to Free School Meals (FSM),
which may affect pupils from 1 September 2026.

What is changing?
On 8 May 2026, the Department for Education announced changes to how Free School Meals eligibility will work in future, linked to Universal Credit.

These changes will affect:

• Families who currently receive FSM.
• Families who may be eligible but are not currently claiming FSM.

Important change to current protection
Since April 2018, once a child became eligible for FSM, they have continued to receive them even if their family’s circumstances changed.
This protection will end at the end of the 2025–26 school year on 31 August 2026.

Checking eligibility (summer to autumn term)
Sheffield City Council will be checking free school meal eligibility for all pupils between the summer and autumn term 2026 (and regularly going forwards).

This applies to:
 Pupils who currently receive FSM.
 Families who wish to apply for FSM for the first time.

Who may be eligible?
Targeted Free School Meals (with additional funding for schools)
Families may be eligible if they receive:
 Universal Credit with a household income of £7,400 a year or less.
 Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
 The guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
 Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
 Support as a family with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

Expanded Free School Meals (meals only)

Families may also be eligible if they receive Universal Credit with a household income above £7,400.

How to apply
Families who are not currently receiving free school meals but think they may be eligible should apply online:
You can also:
 ask your child’s school to apply on your behalf, or
 contact Sheffield city Council, Customer Services Team at 0114 2734567 (option 4,option 3).
Please note that you do not need to apply if you are already receiving income-based free school meals in a Sheffield school - we will be in touch if anything has changed.

Further information
Sheffield City Council will provide further updates before September 2026.

We would strongly encourage all parents of children in school to apply for free school meals if you think you may qualify.

If you apply for free school meals and you are eligible:

• your child will be entitled to free school meals and free school milk
• our school will get additional funding for each school year (known as Pupil Premium funding)
• your child’s early years education provider will get up to additional funding (Early Years Pupil Premium

Pupil Premium funding is additional money provided to schools for children eligible for free school meals, those who have been looked after by the local authority and children of armed service personnel. Funding is also provided for any pupils who have been eligible for free school meals within the past 6 years, even if their family circumstances mean they are no longer eligible.

Listed below are a few of the ways in which we use the pupil premium funding to support the most disadvantaged children in school:

• training for teachers so every lesson is an excellent lesson for all children
• additional technology to support teaching and learning
• additional tuition across the curriculum
• additional sports coaching 
• speech and language interventions
• a full time Sports Leader
• Learning Mentor and Pastoral Team in school
• Subsidised funding for educational visits
• Attendance Officer employed to support excellent attendance  

Universal Infant Free School Meals

(UIFSM) provides funding for all government funded schools to offer free school meals to all pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.  The UIFSM is a different type of  funding from that of benefits-related free school meals.  However, it is important that parents who receive one of the qualifying benefits listed above to still register for benefits-related free school meals even if their child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 as this enables the child’s school to claim pupil premium funding and if you qualify will enable your child to receive not only free school meals but also free school milk and subsidised (in most cases free) school trips.

We are always happy to help families with this process so if you have any question or need any help applying for Free School Meals you can contact us by phone on 0114 2399705 or email on enquiries@gleadless.sheffield.sch.uk