Is your child eligible for Free School Meals?
During these difficult times, you may want to reassess whether you would like to apply for Free School Meal. We are aware some children who attend Cannon Park Primary School are entitled to free school meals but may not realise it. All children in Reception to Year 2 automatically receive a free school meal so this information may be particularly relevant to our current Year 2 families, as these children move into Year 3.
Changes to Free School Meals from September 2026
Since April 2018, once a child became eligible for Free School Meals, they continued to receive them even if their family’s circumstances changed. This was called Transitional Protection. The Government have announced that this protection will finish on 31 August 2026, at the end of the 2025 to 2026 school year.
From the start of the 2026 to 2027 school year, Free School Meals will be extended to include all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit.
We will be checking Free School Meals eligibility for all pupils between the summer and autumn term 2026, and on a regular basis. This applies to:
- pupils who received Free School Meals in the 2025 to 2026 school year
- families who wish to apply for free school meals for the first time
Targeted free school meals with additional Pupil Premium funding for schools
Families may be eligible if they receive:
- Universal Credit with a household income of £7,400 a year or less
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- support as a family with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
Expanded free school meals – meals only
Families may also be eligible if they receive Universal Credit with a household income above £7,400.
Universal Free School Meals – Reception, Year 1 and 2
You can apply as soon as your child’s school place in Reception has been confirmed.
Free School Meals – Year 3 +
Your child will be able to get Free School Meals if you receive any of the following:
- any amount of Universal Credit
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- the guarantee credit element of Pension Credit
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A child becomes eligible for Free School Meals once their claim has been verified and approved. Verification can either be from using the Department for Education’s Eligibility Checking Engine (ECE), or via the HB/CTS claim. Eligibility starts from the date the claim is approved, not from the date the application was submitted
Free School Meals for families with no recourse to public funds
Your child will be able to get Free School Meals if you fall into one of the following eligible groups
- Zambrano carers
- families who have no recourse to public funds 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
- families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
- a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Chen carers
- families holding a BN(O) passport
- spousal visa holders
- work visa holders
- student visa holders
- those with no immigration status
You will also need to evidence that your annual household income is below
- £22,700 for families with 1 child
- £26,300 for families with 2 or more children
In addition to these thresholds, families must hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.
Further information can be found at www.coventry.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
How can this benefit the school?
Applying for a free school meal could raise up to an extra £1550 per annum for six years for your child’s school (funded by central government). This can help to fund valuable teaching and learning support for your school.
All children in Reception to Year 2 automatically receive a free school meal. However, if your family also meets the eligibility criteria to enable a free school meal to be awarded, it is important to make an application in order that your child’s school can receive this pupil premium.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]