Changes for the 2026 to 2027 academic year
From September 2026 all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit attending a maintained school in Stockport will be entitled to receive a free meal.
There will be 2 categories of benefits-based free school meals:
- targeted free school meals
- expanded free school meals
Who can get targeted free school meals
You can get targeted free school meals if you're responsible for a child (for example, you receive Child Benefit for them) who is at school. That includes nursery children who attend full days at a school nursery and sixth form students. You must also get one of these qualifying incomes:
- Universal Credit (provided your household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax and not including any benefits you get)
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
Who can get expanded free school meals
You can get expanded free school meals if you are responsible for a child (for example, you receive Child Benefit for them) who is at school. That includes nursery children who attend full days at a school nursery and sixth form students. You must also be in receipt of Universal Credit.
This is a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted free school meals but who are in households receiving Universal Credit.
Households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) may also be entitled to a free school meal if they meet the criteria. Email benefitsfsm@stockport.gov.uk for more information.
From the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year, transitional protection for free school meals will end. Households must meet the free school meal eligibility criteria from the start of the 2026 to 2027 academic year to continue receiving free school meals. All pupils will have their eligibility re-checked during summer 2026.
Going forward, free school meal eligibility will be monitored on an ongoing basis through regular rechecks.