In England, free school meals are funded by the UK government for children who attend a state school, free school or academy.
All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 receive free school meals. Some local authorities also provide universal free school meals for all primary school children.
Where meals are not provided universally, eligibility depends on a family’s benefits, asylum support, or income (including for families with no recourse to public funds).
Free school meals are not classed as a public fund for immigration purposes. This means that families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) may still be able to access free school meals if they meet the relevant eligibility requirements.
A child will be entitled to free school meals if their family receives Home Office asylum support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (including section 95 or section 98 support).
A child will also qualify if a parent (or the child) receives one of the following:
From the 2026 to 2027 school year, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will be entitled to free school meals.
A child may be entitled to free school meals if their parent or parents have no recourse to public funds and meet the income requirements below:
Outside London
Within London
The family must also have less than £16,000 in savings or investments.
This applies to families including:
Families should check their local authority’s website for details of how to apply. Families with no recourse to public funds will usually need to apply directly to the child’s school, which will assess the application in line with government guidance.
Local authorities can refer to government guidance on free school meals and guidance on provision for families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).
Page updated: 18 June 2026
