Free school meals (FSM): funding

Mainstream schools are expected to use their core budget allocations to provide FSM to pre-16 pupils, and can receive funding for disadvantaged post-16 pupils. Find out how much you'll receive and learn how FSM are funded in special schools.

Updated
on 8 July 2025
See updates
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 9183
Contents
  1. Funding for pre-16 FSM is included in your core budget
  2. Special schools
  3. Funding for UIFSM
  4. Post-16 pupils

Funding for pre-16 FSM is included in your core budget

Maintained schools and academies

You receive additional funding for disadvantaged pupils through the deprivation factor of the national funding formula (NFF). This reflects the additional costs of supporting these pupils, including the provision of FSM.

Additional grant for 2026-27

FSM eligibility will be extended to all households receiving Universal Credit from September 2026

You'll be paid an additional grant to help cover the cost of this expansion. The DfE will publish guidance and allocations on this new grant in due course.

This is explained in the 'introduction' of the NFF summary policy document for 2026-27.

We’ll update this article when more information is available. Select 'save for later' at the top of this article to be notified when we make any changes.

Special schools

Unlike mainstream schools,