Important – changes to Free School Meals – protection is ending from April 2025.

Currently all children entitled to free school meals will receive them until they finish either primary or secondary education. This continues even if your income increases. This is called transitional protection.

Access to this protection will end from 1 April 2025, so if you apply after then, and your earnings go above £7,400 net per annum (£616.67 per month), your child will no longer be eligible for free school meals. You will need to apply for them again if your income goes down.

Even if your child receives universal infant free school meals (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) at the moment, it is still worth checking by 31^st March 2025 if you qualify and can benefit from the protection until the end of school.

We find families of our younger cohort, put off applying as their child already receives free meals until Year 3. However, if you are one of these parents and have never applied before, but are planning to apply when your child reaches Year 3, we strongly advise not to wait, and instead apply before the end of this month. If you qualify, your child’s free school meals will be protected until they leave at the end of Year 6, regardless of your financial situation changing during that time.

What does this mean for families?

• Any child currently eligible for free school meals under transitional protection will continue to be eligible for free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, for example children in year 1 will continue to be eligible until they leave primary school in year 6.
• Any child who becomes eligible for free school meals up to 31 March 2025 will continue to be eligible for free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, for example children in year 1 will continue to be eligible until they leave primary school in year 6.
• Any child who becomes eligible for free school meals on or after 1 April 2025 will be eligible for free school meals but will be assessed regularly and if there is a change in their circumstances and they no longer receive a qualifying benefit, they will lose entitlement to free school meals.

Next steps

Nottinghamshire County Council are encouraging families to apply online for FSM before 31^st March 2025.  The best way to do this is online as this will provide an immediate result and will ensure as many parents as possible can apply before the deadline of 31^st March 2025. 

If parents cannot apply online, they can call their customer service centre on 0300 500 80 80.

If there are any families who have previously applied but were “not eligible”, you do not need to reapply as the Council will continue to assess your entitlement weekly.

Click on the link below to be taken to the Notts County Council website where you can check your eligibility and apply for Free School Meals.