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Free school meals and activities
Find out if your child is eligible for free school meals, how to apply, School Holiday Meals voucher scheme and Holiday activities and food (HAF).
Check if you are eligible
Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents or carers are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit – from 1 April 2018 provided you have 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 guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – (the payment someone receives for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
If your child attends a school or Luton Sixth Form College after the age of 16, they will still be able to have FSM up to the age of 19 (provided you are still eligible).
Children who attend a Luton school and whose parents or carers receive certain benefits, may be entitled to free school meals.
If you receive Universal Credit
From September 2026 the Department for Education will introduce new eligibility criteria meaning that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to receive a free meal. This means the published income threshold for those in receipt of Universal Credit will no longer apply when deciding if a child is entitled to free school meal.
Universal infant free school meals
All infants in reception, year 1 or year 2 are entitled to free school meals, regardless of the parent/guardians circumstances. This scheme is referred to as universal infant FSM (UIFSM).
Parents meeting the standard free school meals criteria are still strongly encouraged to apply as the government gives schools additional funding ('pupil premium') for every pupil who successfully registers for free school meals.
Nurseries
For free school meals can be considered for children who attend nursery before and after lunch. The child should be accessing early education during a period that includes the lunch period. For free school meals eligibility queries contact your child’s nursery directly. You can find your nursery details in our directory.
Families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
The rules have been permanently extended for free school meals eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds.
To find out if you're eligible, read GOV.UK's guidance on NRPF.
How claiming free school meals helps your school
It is still important to sign up for free school meals, even if your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2, so that your child's school receives as much funding as possible. Your application will trigger extra government funding for your child’s school called the Pupil Premium. This added funding can help fund valuable support including extra tuition, support staff or providing after school activities.
We need information about you and your child, so that we can provide them with the best education and support by making sure that their school receives all the government funding to which it is entitled.