As of September 2026, the way families qualify for Free School Meals has changed.

Under these new arrangements, all children living in households that receive Universal Credit will be eligible for Free School Meals. This change means that many more families will now qualify for support.

To ensure that eligibility is correctly assessed under the new criteria, all parents and carers must apply or reapply for Free School Meals, even if their child currently receives them. Completing an application will help ensure that children continue to receive their entitlement and will also enable schools to access any additional funding available to support pupils.

If you have a child or children who are not currently receiving FreeSchoolMeals, who you think may be eligible please use the above link to make an online claim.

Your application will be checked by the national Eligibility Checking System (ECS) and you will receive an instant online decision. When completing your application please remember to enter a valid e-mail address and/or telephone number so that any queries can be resolved quickly.

FreeSchoolMeals eligibility starts from the date that you are notified by the ECS. Until that time, you will need to provide your child(ren) with a packed lunch or add money to their Parentpay account.

Please see further information regarding Free School Eligibility on the Trafford Council website.