Expanding free school meals eligibility

From September 2026 all households receiving Universal Credit, regardless of household income, will qualify for free school meals.

Who should apply

If you receive Universal Credit and your child is not getting free school meals, apply by filling in LCC's online form.

If you have already applied for free school meals and your child has been confirmed as eligible, you do not need to apply again. LCC will recheck your claim and tell school before the start of the new September 2026 term.

Eligibility

Infant school meals

Your child will be able to get free school meals if they’re in Reception class, Year 1 or Year 2. Ask usl for more information.

If you receive qualifying benefits or targeted free school meals, your child may be entitled to other programmes of support.

Year 3 and above and secondary

Expanded free school meals

Families receiving Universal Credit with earnings above £7,400.

Targeted free school meals

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Universal Credit with yearly household earnings of £7,400 or less.

• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• the guarantee element of Pension Credit

Children in this group may also be eligible for other programmes of support.

Nursery (pre-school)

You can only apply to claim free school meals if your child attends a maintained nursery school or class. To be eligible your child must attend for a full day and must you get one of the qualifying benefits.

Children who attend a private nursery are not entitled to free school meals.

Maintained nursery schools or classes are nurseries or nursery classes in schools maintained by Lancashire County Council.

If you are not sure whether your child's nursery school or class is maintained or private, search our childcare directory. If it is maintained it will either say 'Maintained Nursery Class' or 'Maintained Nursery School' under the nursery name.

You can also ask your childcare provider if they are maintained or private.

Families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

Children in households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) are also eligible for free school meals. This is subject to a maximum income threshold and capital and savings limit for the family.

You can find more information in the free school meals guidance for schools and local authorities on GOV.UK.

Schools manage these applications. To apply, complete the application form and return it to school:

 

• Application form for families with no recourse to public funds (DOCX 72KB)

• Other programmes of support

  If your child is eligible for targeted free school meals, they may also be entitled to:

• free transport to school (if they also meet the age and distance criteria)

• Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) - fun activities during the school holidays

• Pupil Premium funding for the school - extra funding to raise the achievement of some pupils

Apply

Apply online

Click here to go to the online application.

What happens next

LCC will confirm whether you are eligible by email.

If you are eligible, they will let school know that your child can have free school meals.

Apply by post

Download the application form:

Free school meals form (PDF 939 KB)

If you apply by post LCC will notify you by email, or post if you do not provide an email address.

Contact LCC

New applications

If you have recently applied and have not received a confirmation email, please allow 5 working days before contacting LCC. Remember to also check your spam or junk email folder.

LCC are currently managing an increase in applications since the government extended the eligibility criteria. 

Email

Free school meals email addresses by area:

Preston, South Ribble, Chorley and West Lancashire (South) fsm.south@lancashire.gov.uk