Free School Meals Eligibility Calculator
Check whether your child qualifies for free school meals in England. The key test is income: households on Universal Credit qualify if their annual net earned income is £7,400 or less. Infants in Reception to Year 2 get free meals automatically.
Free school meals checker
England eligibility — 2025/26.
An eligibility guide. Apply through your local council or school — see GOV.UK.
Who qualifies for free school meals in England
Free school meals come in two forms. Every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at a state school in England gets a free lunch automatically — this is universal infant free school meals, with no income test. From Year 3 onwards, free meals are means-tested and depend on the benefits your household receives.
If your household gets Universal Credit and your annual net earned income is £7,400 or less (take-home pay, not counting benefits), your child qualifies. Families on certain other benefits qualify whatever their income.
Qualifying benefits
| Benefit | Income test? |
|---|---|
| Universal Credit | Yes — £7,400 net earned income or less |
| Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance | No |
| Income-related Employment & Support Allowance | No |
| Income Support | No |
| Child Tax Credit (no Working Tax Credit) | Yes — under an income limit |
| Pension Credit (Guarantee element) | No |
| Support under the Immigration & Asylum Act | No |
What counts as net earned income
The £7,400 figure is earned income after tax and National Insurance — your take-home pay from work. Crucially, it does not include the benefits you receive, including Universal Credit itself. So a family with low wages topped up by UC can be well within the threshold even though their total household income is higher.
Protected if your income rises. Once a child qualifies, they keep free school meals until they finish their current phase of school (and until the UC rollout completes), even if your earnings later go above £7,400.
It's worth applying — and not just for the meals
Registering for free school meals also triggers extra funding for the school (pupil premium) and can unlock other help such as holiday food schemes. Even if your infant already gets a free lunch automatically, it's worth registering eligibility. Apply through your local council; the national gateway is on GOV.UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income threshold for free school meals?
In England, a child qualifies if the household gets Universal Credit and has annual net earned income of £7,400 or less (after tax, excluding benefits). Families on certain other benefits qualify regardless of income.
Do all infant children get free school meals?
Yes. Under universal infant free school meals, every child in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 at a state school in England gets a free lunch whatever the income. From Year 3 it's means-tested.
Which benefits qualify for free school meals?
Universal Credit (under the income threshold), income-based JSA, income-related ESA, Income Support, Child Tax Credit (no Working Tax Credit, under a limit), Pension Credit Guarantee element, and support under the Immigration and Asylum Act.
Is the £7,400 figure before or after tax?
It is net earned income — take-home pay from work after tax and NI — and it does not include the money you receive in benefits such as Universal Credit.
Do I keep free school meals if my income rises?
Yes, under transitional protections. A child who qualified keeps free meals until they finish their current phase of school and the UC rollout completes, even if income later rises.