Universal Infant Free School Meals (UFISM)
All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 at state schools in England automatically get free school meals. However, parents and guardians are encouraged to apply for free school meals when they enrol their child in school, as this can help their child’s school to attract additional ‘pupil premium‘ funding to support learning.
Benefits-related Free School Meals
From year 3 onwards, children whose parents are getting any of the following are entitled to free school meals:
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
- Income Support (IS).
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA).
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (IRESA).
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit.
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income that does not exceed £16,190).
- Working Tax Credit run-on (the payment you get for a further 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).
School children living on their own (16-19 year olds) who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right can also get free school meals.
How to apply
Apply through the Devon Citizens Portal. This is the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in you getting an instant decision. Alternatively, call the Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.
Please note that applications at the following schools should be made direct to the school:
- Bassetts Farm Primary School
- West Exe Nursery School
Devon also administers free school meals applications for Plymstock School and Coombe Dean School. If your child attends one of these schools, you should apply through the Citizens Portal.
If believe you are eligible for Free School Meals but your child has been placed by Devon County Council as EOTAS or at an Independent Provision, you will not be able to use the Citizens Portal to apply. Please email us at freeschoolmeals@devon.gov.uk and we can support you with a manual application for your child.
Transitional protection
On 1 April 2018 transitional protection was introduced meaning all new and existing free school meals claimants would continue to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This would apply even if their earnings rose above the threshold during that time. The roll-out was expected to end on 31 March 2025.
Transitional protections have been extended until the end of the 2025/26 school year. All pupils becoming eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria, should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances or phase of education until the end of the 2025/26 school year.
This will include:
- any children moving from primary (including nursery) to secondary
- any children moving from secondary to sixth form
- children moving in or out of the Local Authority
What will happen after the 2025/26 academic year?
From the start of the 2026/27 academic year, it is the Department for Education’s intention that all protections will be discontinued, alongside an extension to the eligibility criteria for free school meals.
The new eligibility criteria, in this academic year, will see any students in households of those in receipt of Universal Credit, being eligible for free school meals – regardless of their household income.
From this point, all households must meet the eligibility criteria to be entitled to free school meals.
At the end of the 2025/26 academic year, all free school meal claims will be checked for eligibility, and those who do not meet the criteria will not be entitled to free school meals. This includes all transitional protected claims that were previously entitled until their ‘end of phase’.
No recourse to public funds (NRPF)
Eligibility for free school meals has been permanently extended to children from all families with NRPF, subject to the following maximum income thresholds:
- £22,700 per annum for families outside London with one child
- £26,300 per annum for families outside London with two or more children
These groups include:
- children of Zambrano carers
- NRPF families with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- NRPF families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989
- a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Chen carers or families holding a BN(O) passport
- spousal visa holders
- work visa holders
- student visa holders
- those with no immigration status
If you think you may be eligible, please complete the application form for free school meals from families with NRPF and return it to us with the relevant supporting documents for both the immigration category and income. Your child’s school may be able to assist with the completion of the form.
Any applications submitted without supporting documents will be refused.