Free School Meals
The Government is giving money to schools to help children from lower income families do their very best. This funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’.
With this money we will be able to continue to provide 1:1 support tutoring for individual pupils in key GCSE subject areas, additional literacy support ensuring that pupils reading ages at least match their actual age and expert additional tuition in areas such as music and other areas including extra classes after school. If you are registered for Free School Meals you could also get help with a number of costs including school trips, transport, PE kit and uniform.
Please register as soon as possible to make sure your child and others in their class don’t miss out.
Important Changes to Free School Meals
The Department for Education (DfE) is expanding eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM) from the start of the 2026/27 academic year.
Who Is Eligible for Free School Meals?
From September 2026, all children living in households receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for Free School Meals, regardless of household income.
Free School Meals are available to pupils whose parent, carer, or guardian receives one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
A pupil will only be eligible to receive Free School Meals where:
- A claim for the qualifying benefit has been made; and
- Eligibility has been successfully verified by the school
Households may also qualify if they:
- Receive Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit
- Meet the criteria set out in separate guidance for families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
End of Transitional Protection
Since April 2018, transitional protections have ensured that pupils eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals retained their entitlement, even if household circumstances changed.
Transitional protection will end from 1st September 2026.
As a result, all households must meet the current eligibility criteria to continue receiving Free School Meals. Eligibility must be re-checked, before 1 September 2026 and annually thereafter.
Don't Miss Out
Even if you have previously been told that you are not eligible, the new Universal Credit rules mean your child may now qualify for Free School Meals.
New Applications
Many more families may become eligible for Free School Meals for the first time under the new expanded criteria.
All parents and carers are encouraged to use our online eligibility checking system to determine whether their child(ren) qualify.
Action Required
If your child currently receives, or has previously received, Free School Meals, you need to complete an eligibility check before 17 July 2026.
Completing a check during this period will ensure your child's entitlement can be assessed and confirmed for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Information You Will Need
Please have the following information available before starting your application:
- Parent or carer's full name and date of birth
- Contact details
- National Insurance Number (NINO) or National Asylum Seeker Number (NASS)
- Child's full name and date of birth
- School name
What Happens After the Check?
Parents and schools will receive an immediate eligibility decision once the check has been completed.
If your eligibility check returns a Found result:
- Your child will continue to receive Free School Meals throughout the entire 2026/27 academic year
If your eligibility check returns a Not Found result:
- Your child will not be eligible for Free School Meals in the 2026/27 academic year
- Current entitlement will end on 31 August 2026
No Check Completed
If an eligibility check is not completed by 17 July 2026:
- The school will be unable to confirm eligibility
- Free School Meals cannot be awarded or continued for the 2026/27 academic year
To avoid disruption to your child's Free School Meal entitlement, please ensure your check is completed before the deadline.
How Do I Check for Free School Meal Eligibility?
We have partnered with ESS ParentPay to provide an online portal for parents to check their child(rens) Free School Meal eligibility.
Parents and School will get an immediate response regarding FSM eligibility after the check has been completed.
To complete the online application, you will need to provide:
- Parental name and date of birth
- Contact details
- National Insurance Number or National Asylum Seekers Number
- Child’s name and date of birth
- School name: SHEVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
Important
Once your eligibility check has been completed, please make a note of your reference number for future correspondence.
Start your Application
PLEASE CLICK ON THE HYPERLINK BELOW TO START YOUR APPLICATION