Free school meals FAQs

Free school meals provide eligible students with a free school meal each day. To qualify, families should be receiving one or more of the qualifying benefits. Free school meals are administered by Devon County Council (DCC) for all Devon maintained schools. Devon County Council is also responsible for free school meals through a traded agreement with Devon academies.

The only benefits that qualify for free school meals are detailed at GOV.UK – apply for free school meals.

On 1 April 2018 transitional protection was introduced meaning all 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 new threshold during that time.

In addition, any child gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 would be protected against losing free school meals during the Universal Credit rollout period.

Following the roll-out of Universal Credit on 31 March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (such as primary or secondary).

New claimants made eligible from 1 April 2025, will be subject to reviews with claims set to end at the end of the summer term on 25 July 2025. These claims will be regularly assessed for ongoing eligibility. For more information about the change, please see school meals.

No, a child is only eligible for free school meals from the date on which their eligibility was confirmed. There is no provision to backdate free school meals.

Where eligible, free school meals are available for full time pupils at school.

From September 2014, all pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state-funded schools in England are eligible for free school meals (FSMs). This includes academies, free schools, pupil referral units and alternative provisions as well as maintained schools.

Note: Children being taught a year behind and are placed within KS1 will still be eligible for universal Infant free school meals, for example, DOB for year 3, however allocated as a year 2 school admission.

Through the Citizen Portal – it’s the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in you getting an instant decision. An application should be submitted for each child if there are siblings.

Schools can assist a parent or carer to apply (with their permission).

All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in state-funded schools in England are eligible for a Universal Infant Free School Meal. Parents or guardians do not need to apply for UIFSM.

Pupils moving into KS2 will lose their entitlement to UIFSM. If they wish to continue receiving a School Meal they will either have to pay or claim Free School Meals.

Pupil premium is additional funding from the government for schools. Student’s eligible – based on the existing free school meal criteria – can attract this funding. Parents and guardians with children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at a Devon school may be asked to complete a free school meal application form to check entitlement.

For further information regarding Pupil Premium please visit Pupil Premium for Schools.

For further information regarding KS1 Pupil Premium for Parents please refer to New Starter Pupil Premium.

Through the Citizen Portal this is the quickest and easiest way to apply and will result in parents and schools getting an instant decision.

To check a claim status please call the Education Helpline on 0345 155 1019.

If a child was made eligible between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2025, they will be eligible until the end of their current educational phase. If you are unsure is a pupil is reaching their end of phase, please find a breakdown at school meals.

For children that have eligible claims from 1 April 2025, there claims will end at the end of the summer term on 25 July 2025 and will have their claims regularly assessed for ongoing eligibility.

The award will remain in place for as long as the child continues to attend a Devon state-maintained school and the claimant receives a qualifying benefit.

Moving within Devon

• Claimants – Please communicate eligibility via your child’s new school
• Schools -To add a child to your FSM List – please email the FSM Team – freeschoolmeals@devon.gov.uk with the student details including the start date

Moving into Devon

If Transitional Protection doesn’t apply the parent will need to apply for Free School Meals through DCC.

Transitional protection

Please note the guidance from the DfE below:

There are three steps to checking if a pupil should be receiving transitional protections:

Step 1: the school should consult the pupil’s Common Transfer File. This is a form that should be completed whenever a child moves school (either as an in-year transfer, or if moving from primary to secondary). The form should indicate whether the pupil was previously eligible for FSM – if they were, they should be receiving transitional protections.

Step 2: if the Common Transfer File does not provide the required information, the school should contact the pupil’s previous school or local authority to find out if they were previously eligible for FSM. If they were, they should be receiving transitional protections.

Step 3: if the previous school/LA are unable to provide this information, the school or local authority should check their Key to Success download. This will indicate whether the pupil was previously eligible for FSM – if they were, they should be receiving transitional protections.

Moving out of Devon

A claimant will communicate their free school meals status with their new out of county school and Devon schools will send over this status through the Common Transfer File.

For claims made after 1 April 2025, if moving out of county, the claim will end, and the claimant will need to reapply in their new local authority.

Nursery aged children can receive free school meals as long as they are attending a Devon County Council maintained nursery (including academies).

*These are listed and defined as: Nursery classes.

Private, governor run and charity run settings are not funded for free school meals.
This is also subject to attendance before and after lunch ie; children must be attending two sessions, eg: 9am to 3pm.

*Note: Since publication additional schools may have been added to this list. To query if a setting has been added please contact the Education Helpdesk on 0345 155 1019.

Yes, children attending sixth forms can receive free school meals.

If a year 11 pupil, with a transitionally protected free school meals claim, is moving within a school to sixth form, a new free school meals application will need to be made.

Note: The free school meal team do not administer free school meal claims for tertiary colleges. Please contact the setting directly.

Yes, as long as they are receiving a qualifying benefit.

Free school meals eligibility is based on the family and not the individual.

• If a step-father or mother or partner is living at the address and in receipt of an eligible benefit, the family will be eligible.
• A parent living at a different address to the child will be able to use his or her benefit as proof of eligibility for that child.

This is dependent upon the carer circumstance. If the carer is receiving money for school meals as part of their allowance (fostering allowance or grant) then no, they are not entitled to free school meals.

Private fostering may be acceptable and claims should be referred to the free school meals team.

A child attends X school, but goes to Y school Z day(s) per week as a guest (this may happen with Schools Company or special schools), will the child receive free school meals at Y school?

Yes, the child attends another school as a guest student or is dual registered, they will be able to receive free school meals at the other school.

Note: The student name will only appear on the FSM list of the school they are ‘on roll’ at.

For advice regarding SIMS data – please contact SCOMIS.

If you have any questions regarding the school milk scheme, please contact your school. The free school meal team are not responsible for these enquiry types.

On the 1 January 2015 The School Food Plan introduced new legislation on milk. From that date it is mandatory for all primary schools in England to offer lower fat milk during school hours to all children who want it. School milk is free for all under 5’s and is subsidised for pupils aged five or older.

Children who are registered for free school meals (not UIFSM) are entitled to free milk – please check with your child’s school.

The free school meal team use Devon County Councils’ Schools central database. Any updates must be verified and fed via the official channels. For advice regarding updating a student’s information please contact SCOMIS.