From September 2026, all children from households receiving Universal Credit may be entitled to free school meals. There are now two categories of support:
- Targeted Free School Meals: for children in households receiving Universal Credit with annual earnings of £7,400 or less. These pupils qualify for Pupil Premium funding.
- Expanded Free School Meals: for children in households receiving Universal Credit with earnings above £7,400 per year. These pupils are entitled to free school meals but do not attract Pupil Premium funding.
We encourage all eligible families to apply, as registering can help ensure your child receives the support available to them and enables the school to access additional funding where applicable. Your child does not need to take a school meal every day for the school to receive Pupil Premium funding.
Parents and carers can check eligibility and apply online through Hampshire County Council at: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/hants