Free school meals in special cases
Most categories of temporary immigration permission fall under ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ (NRPF).
From the academic year 2026 to 2027, eligible children in households with NRPF will continue to be eligible for Free School Meals if they meet the income thresholds.
However, as free school meals have expanded, there will be 2 categories for free school meals, each with their own set of income thresholds:
- ‘targeted’ free school meals with NRPF thresholds
- ‘expanded’ free school meals with NRPF thresholds
Targeted’ income thresholds
‘Targeted’ free school meals with NRPF thresholds are linked to the existing £7,400 income threshold. The thresholds have increased in line with Universal Credit rates.
As well as free meals, pupils eligible under the targeted free school meals NRPF thresholds will:
- attract pupil premium and other disadvantage funding for their schools
- have eligibility for the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF)
- have eligibility for the ‘extended rights’ element of school travel assistance
Expanded’ income thresholds
Expanded’ free school meals is a new category covering pupils who do not qualify under the ‘targeted’ free school meals with NRPF thresholds, but who are in households that meet the new expanded income thresholds. These thresholds are based on the average income of Universal Credit households that are eligible for expanded free school meals. These pupils will qualify for meals only.
Eligible groups
These groups include, but may not be limited to children of:
- Zambrano carers - primary carers of British citizen children or dependent adults who have a right to reside because the British citizen would be unable to remain in the UK without their care
- families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
- individuals supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Chen carers - primary carers of certain EEA citizen children who have a derivative right to reside in the UK because the child would be unable to remain in the UK without them
- families holding a BN(O) passport
- spousal visa holders
- work visa holders
- student visa holders
- those with no immigration status
The maximum income threshold differs based on location and the number of children that the family has.
Income thresholds
If a child has parents who have NRPF, the child will be eligible for free school meals if their parents or carers total household income is less than the annual household net income threshold.
Children can only be eligible under the targeted or expanded FSM NRPF thresholds.
Targeted’ free school meal NRPF thresholds
The annual household income thresholds are:
- £28,500 for families outside of London with 1 child
- £29,400 for families outside of London with 2 or more children
- £32,700 for families in London with 1 child
- £34,800 for families in London with 2 or more children
Expanded FSM NRPF thresholds
The annual household income thresholds are:
- £29,400 for families outside of London with 1 child
- £37,300 for families outside of London with 2 or more children
- £35,000 for families within London with 1 child
- £43,100 for families within London with 2 or more children
The family’s address will determine if a person will be considered inside the London or outside London maximum.
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