We encourage parents to claim for free school meals if they are eligible, even if they do not wish to have school lunches, as the school receives extra funding.  All applications are treated confidentially and pupils will follow the same lunch system as paying pupils, so will be anonymous.

Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit

If you would like us to check your eligibility, please complete the document below and return it to the School Office. 

The government continues to reform the school meal process and from 1st September 2026 will be introducing new rules. These can be summarised as:

• Transitional protection currently in place from 1st April 2018 will cease at the end of the Summer 2026 term (31st August 2026). All existing recipients will be re-assessed for receipt of Free School Meals.
• The current end-of-phase (Primary or Secondary) protection will also end on the same date.
• From 1st September 2026, all current and future FSM claims will be reassessed through the Government portal. You will be eligible if you are in receipt of any form of Universal Credit.
• If your circumstances no longer meet the criteria then the FSM funding will end.
• FSM entitlement will depend entirely on whether the household qualifies under the new rules, which include automatic eligibility for all households in receipt of Universal Credit.
• It is important to note that even if you have not been receiving Free Meals before, you might now be eligible. All current qualifying students will be re-checked before the Autumn 2026 term, (no action required) but parents of students who are unsure are encouraged to apply and have their qualification checked. An application form is attached as part of this communication for this purpose. Should you have any queries regarding the new process or applying for a check, please contact the school office by e-mail at office@horsell-junior.surrey.sch.uk