Free School Meals

From 1 April 2018, transitional protections were implemented by the Department for Education (DfE) in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This was to minimise the impact of the rollout of Universal Credit and the introduction of the net earned threshold to determine eligibility for free school meals and to ensure no pupil loses a meal as result of these changes.

Who will be awarded transitional protection and how long will it be in place?

• Was in receipt of free school meals on 31 March 2018 should continue to receive free school meals until the end of the universal credit roll out period, and then until their phase of education ends. This covers until at least Summer 2023 even if their circumstances change and they no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
• Became eligible for free school meals from 1 April 2018 will continue to receive free school meals until the end of the universal credit rollout period, and then until their phase of education ends. This covers until at least Summer 2023 even if their circumstances change and they no longer meet the eligibility criteria.

Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, any existing pupil who no longer meets the eligibility criteria at that point will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, i.e. primary or secondary. For nursery pupils with free school meals entitlement the end of phase is defined by the DfE as the end of the primary phase.

New starters who have sibling with transitional protection

Transitional protections are put in place on an individual child basis, not on a family basis. This means that children will not become automatically entitled to free school meals simply because their sibling receives transitional protections.

Extending transitional protections to families would lead be unfair for children without siblings.

The new child must meet the eligibility criteria at the time the application for free school meals is made in order to be entitled to free school meals. So for reception children we will need a fresh free school meals form as the family’s entitlement can’t be applied.