Free School Meal eligibility runs from 1st September through to the 31st August. It is imperative that you apply or renew your Free School Meal annually to ensure your eligibility continues into the new academic year. Failure to renew will temporarily cease your entitlement for the next academic year.
It is vital that those who are eligible receive them for two reasons:
1) Free School Meals (FSMs) are an entitlement and ensure that all children have a daily healthy meal at school;
2) The Pupil Premium announced by the government involves a redistribution of funding towards schools with significant numbers of FSM students. As a school with relatively few students qualifying for FSMs, this is a very worrying immediate threat to our income and we need to ensure that as a school we receive the income to which we are entitled.
From September 2026, a child will be eligible for Free School Meals if their parent or carer receives any of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit (no earnings threshold)
- Income Support
- Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit and within income limits)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
If you fulfil the above criteria, or think that you do, please submit an application via the LGFL Free School Meals Eligibility Checker here ensuring you select Barnet as the Local Authority and JCoSS from the School list.
Your application will be processed automatically and will give you the results instantly, also informing the school of the outcome.
