Free School Meals

Free School Meals 

Since September 2026, children have been entitled to free school meals if their household receives Universal Credit, regardless of the household’s earnings. Some families receiving other qualifying support may also be eligible. 
 
There are two categories of benefits-based free school meals: 

1. Targeted free school meals apply principally where a household receives Universal Credit and has annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. Pupils in this category may also attract Pupil Premium funding and other related support.  
2. Expanded free school meals apply where a household receives Universal Credit but its annual earnings exceed £7,400. Pupils in this category are entitled to free school meals, although this category does not attract Pupil Premium funding.   

Other families may qualify if they receive: 

• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;  
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance;  
• the guarantee element of Pension Credit; or  
• support under the separate arrangements for eligible families with no recourse to public funds. 

Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right may also be eligible. 
 
Why apply? 
We encourage every family who may be eligible to apply. A successful application will ensure that your child can receive free school meals. Where a pupil qualifies under the targeted criteria, the school may also receive pupil-premium funding to help us ensure that pupils face no financial barriers to accessing an excellent education. 
For eligible pupils in Years 7–11, the pupil-premium rate is currently £1,100 a year. 
 
How to apply 
If you think your child is eligible to receive free school meals, you can check eligibility using the Free School Meals Eligibility Checker on the following website https://fsm.lgfl.net/. Please note you will need your National Insurance number to complete the form on the website. Once on the page, click on “Check eligibility” and on the next page click on “Proceed”, you will need to choose Sutton as the Local Authority and Wilson's School. Please also send the Finance Office (finance@wilsonsschool.sutton.sch.uk) a copy of the certificate of eligibility obtained by successful applicants after completing the form so that we can process your Free School Meals application. 
 
If you have any questions or need further advice, please contact the Finance Office at the school for a confidential conversation.