Free school meals provide vital nutrition for children during the school day. 

From the start of the 2026/27 school year, the Department for Education (DFE) will extend Free School Meal (FSM) eligibility.  We would like to encourage families who are in receipt of Universal Credit who have not previously applied for FSM, to apply on the Hampshire portal using the link below. 

Free school meals for pupils up to 16 years old | Education and learning | Hampshire County Council 

Online FSM Application

Expanded free school meals

Going forward, there will be 2 categories of benefits-based free school meals:

• Targeted FSM, which continues to be based on the existing threshold, covers 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. 

When will these changes take effect? 

The new eligibility will take effect in September 2026. Families receiving Universal Credit will be able to access free school meals starting from the 2026/27 school year. 

If you have already submitted an application via the Hampshire portal, you will not need to submit another application, regardless of the outcome of your previous submissions. 

Applications which we previously rejected, but meet the new criteria, will automatically be updated to reflect eligibility. 

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any further questions.