Changes to eligibility for FSM for the 2026 to 2027 academic year
The government has made the change in eligibility a legal requirement through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 and intends to lay out additional regulations extending this duty to maintained nursery schools.
Going forward, there will be two categories of benefits-based free school meals:
- Targeted FSM - which continues to be based on the existing threshold, covering pupils who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less
- Expanded FSM - a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit
Pupils who are, or have been, eligible for FSM over the last 6 years are part of the ‘Ever 6’ FSM cohort. This is used for disadvantage funding and accountability purposes. Following the expansion of FSM, Ever 6 FSM will be based on targeted FSM.
From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, transitional protections for free school meals will end. Households must meet the FSM eligibility criteria from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year to continue receiving provision.
Going forward FSM eligibility should be monitored by schools and local authorities on an ongoing basis, through annual rechecks. Rechecks should confirm that pupils in receipt of FSM continue to meet the eligibility criteria set out in the guidance, and the category of eligibility they fall under (either targeted or expanded). Checks should be completed ahead of the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year. This is to allow all pupils to be ready to receive FSM from the start of the autumn term. Pupils will not attract FSM funding if they do not have a valid recheck of eligibility ahead of the October census each year.
