Find out if your child can get free school meals, how to apply, and understand how to get extra funding for your school.
Pre-school children aged 2, 3 and 4 (not yet in a reception class)
Your child will be eligible for free school meals if they meet the eligibility criteria and attends:
a maintained Nursery School (Camborne Nursery School or Truro Nursery School)
the nursery class of a school/academy
To be eligible for a free school meal, your child will need to be attending sessions before and after lunch on that day.
Pre-school children attending:
private or community pre-schools or nurseries
school-based pre-schools which are not integral to the school/academy
are not eligible for free school meals, even if parents meet the eligibility criteria. If you're not sure what type of setting your child attends, please check with the staff.
Children in Reception, Year 1 and 2
All Key Stage 1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) pupils are entitled to receive a free school meal. This is part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) initiative and regardless of what benefits are being claimed.
However, some children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 may also have an entitlement to benefits-related Free School Meals. Children in this group may also be eligible for Pupil Premium – additional funding paid to the school to support your child in their learning. It is important to apply for benefits-related Free School Meals if you think your child may be eligible. This is so that your child’s school can receive this funding if the claim meets the required criteria.
Your child might be eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Children in Year 3 and above
Your child may be eligible for benefits-related free school meals if you, or the child themselves, meet the eligibility criteria.
If eligible for Free School Meals, your child may also be eligible for pupil premium. This is additional funding paid to the school to support your child in their learning.
Free school meals eligibility criteria if you receive benefits
A child is eligible for free school meals if their parent/carer (or the child themselves) receives any of the following benefits:
Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
Income Support (IS)
Job Seekers' Allowance (Income-Based) and equal based Job Seekers Allowance
Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA-IR) and equal based Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Guarantee Element of Pension Credit (GPC)
Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (IAA) Supports
There are different eligibility criteria for families who are not entitled to benefits (NRPF - No Recourse to Public Funds)
Free School Meals Criteria change September 2026
The UK government is expanding free school meals (FSM) eligibility in England from September 2026. Under the new rules, all children in households receiving Universal Credit will qualify for free school meals.
Targeted Free School Meals for the 2026/2027 academic year
Your household has met the Universal Credit household income threshold (under £7400).
Your children will be entitled to
a free school meal
a free code to access the Time2Move Holiday Programme during the relevant school holidays (Easter, Summer and Christmas)
the school will receive Pupil Premium funding
Expanded Free School Meals for the 2026/2027 academic year
Your household has met the Universal Credit household income threshold (above £7400). Your children will only be entitled to a free school meal only. Your child/ren will not qualify for a free Time2Move Holiday code to access the T2M Holiday Programme. The school will not receive Pupil Premium funding.
Free School Meal transitional protections (ending September 2026)
Transitional protections are ending at the end of the 2025/26 school year.
All pupils becoming eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria, should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances until the end of the 2025/26 school year.
Apply for Free School Meals
You can apply for Free School Meals and Pupil Premium online.
Please ensure you have read the important information on this page before applying.
New Free School Meals Auto Award to Launch in 2026/2027 Academic year
Cornwall Council is launching a new approach to ensure that children who qualify for free school meals do not miss out.
A new process called Free School Meals (FSM) Auto Award is introduced for the 2026/2027 academic year. This new process will use information already held by the Council to identify pupils who may be eligible for FSM. The process includes:
current FSM claimants
households in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax support from Cornwall Council
Anyone outside of these groups will need to apply manually through the Parent Portal.
Reasons for this change
From September 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) is making changes to free school meal eligibility:
All households on Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals (household income thresholds have been removed)
Free school meals will no longer be ‘protected’ once awarded; eligibility will be checked at the start of each new academic year
To reduce the number of families that need to apply each year, Cornwall Council is introducing a new ‘Auto Award’ system. We will automatically run checks each term to see if a child is eligible. If your situation changes outside of these automatic checks, you will still be able to apply manually using the Parent Portal.
The new Auto Award process is designed to remove barriers and make things easier. It will help make sure that all children who are entitled to free school meals receive them.
How the new process will work
Cornwall Council will use information it already holds to check whether a child could be eligible for free school meals.
If the information held by the Council suggests that your child may qualify or if you are currently claiming free school meals, you will be contacted in July 2026. If you do not want the Council to run the check against your details, the letter will provide information on how you can opt out. If the check shows that your child is eligible, you will be informed and your child will be automatically signed up for free school meals.
If you are not contacted in July regarding free school meals and feel you may be eligible, or if your circumstances change in the future, you can still apply at any time via the existing Parent Portal
How free school meals can benefit children
Free school meals provide children with a healthy, balanced lunch every school day. This supports their growth, health and wellbeing.
Research shows that children who have a nutritious school meal are more likely to:
feel settled and focused in class
be ready to learn in the afternoon
take part fully in school activities
Eating together at school can also have social benefits. Children often enjoy eating with their friends, it builds their friendships and social interactions, and they may be more willing to try new foods. This can help build healthy eating habits and make mealtimes more positive.
Free school meals can also reduce worry around food during the school day, helping children feel included and supported at school.
What you need to do
You do not need to respond unless you wish to opt out.
Cornwall Council will contact families in July 2026 if the information we hold suggests their child or children may be eligible for free school meals or if they are currently claiming free school meals.
If this applies to you, you will receive a letter explaining:
why we are contacting you
what the next steps are
what choices are available to you
If you haven't received a letter, this may be because we do not hold accurate up to date contact information, please complete the form below to provide us with this:
Update your contact information
Time2Move Holiday Programme
The Time2Move Holiday Programme offers fun physical activities, games and wider activities plus a meal for children who are awarded targeted free school meals (Households in receipt of Universal Credit with an income below £7400)..