Free School Meals
If you are eligible, your child gets a nutritious and balanced meal that supports healthy growth, wellbeing and concentration.
Changes to Free School Meals from September 2026
From September 2026, the government is expanding eligibility for Free School Meals. All children in households receiving Universal Credit will now be entitled to free school meals, regardless of income level. This means more families will qualify for support.
From September 2026 there are two types of eligibility for free school meals:
- Targeted Free School Meals
For families who get:
- Universal Credit with household earnings of £7,400 or less per year.
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
- Guarantee element of Pension Credit.
Families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) may also be eligible. If your family has NRPF status, please contact the school office to find out more.
Families eligible for targeted free school meals may get additional benefits, including extra funding for schools to support your child’s education.
- Expanded Free School Meals
For families who get:
- Universal Credit with household earnings above £7,400 per year.
End of Transitional Protection
Temporary protections that allowed children to continue to receive free school meals without rechecking eligibility will end in July 2026. From September 2026 all families will need to meet the updated eligibility criteria. You don’t need to do anything as we will automatically recheck your eligibility. We will let you know if anything changes.
Universal Infant Free School Meals
- All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 will receive a free school meal.
- If you claim Universal Credit or other eligible benefits, it is very important you apply for a free school meal. This will make sure we receive the correct funding for your childs meal and we may get extra funding for education.
Why check if my child is eligible for free school meals?
If your child is eligible for pupil premium related free school meals and associated additional funding, we would like to encourage you to check eligibility and register them. Doing this will also check if your child will be eligible for free school meals when they go into Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 (when the Universal Free School Meal scheme comes to an end and parents/carers will be charged for school meals). In addition, Trafford Council currently run a Household Support Fund. This award supports low-income families with children eligible for free school meals or council tax support through the the school holidays. Eligible families in receipt of free school meals will receive £15 per child per week of the school holidays. This scheme is due to run until Summer 2026. (Please do not worry if your child prefers to have packed lunches as children who are registered for free school meals still have the choice).
How do I check eligibility?
Simply click on the link below and complete the short form and school will be notified if your child is eligible.
https://apply.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims-trafford
More information
If you have any questions or specific concerns, please contact the school office in confidence via admin@parkroadsale.trafford.sch.uk or call on 0161 973 1392. You can also find more information at www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.