Nursery-aged children - if your child is aged 3 or 4, attends a local authority maintained nursery all day and you receive a qualifying benefit, they could be eligible for a free school meal.
All children in reception - year 1 and year 2 get free school meals regardless of your income and schools will be aware of this.
Children in junior and senior school – years 3 to 15 - your child could be eligible for free school meals if you or your partner receive a qualifying benefit.
If your child is aged 16 to 19 and eligible for free school meals but attends college or another educational establishment, you must request free school meals directly from the education setting they attendant.
If you or your partner do receive one of the qualifying benefits listed below, please complete the online application form on this page so that your child’s school gets the extra funding known as the Pupil Premium.
If you already receive free school meals for a child and just want to add another child, contact us and we will be able to check if the additional child is eligible.
Your child(ren) may be eligible to receive free school meals if you are in receipt of one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under part V1 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross household income of no more than £16,190)
- Universal Credit (provided you have a net annual earned household income of no more that £7,400 (or £616.67 per month) – we may need to ask to see your Universal Credit award in the form of a photo or screen shot of your online Universal Credit statement, showing the full breakdown of your entitlement. This can be found in your online journal. We will contact you if this is required
- If you are a foster parent you cannot apply for free school meals as you already receive funding. Parent or guardians must be in receipt of Child Benefit
Applying for free school meals
Blackpool Council manages a free school meals service for children who live in Blackpool and attend the following schools:
- Bispham Endowed Primary School
- Boundary Primary School
- Education Diversity
- Hawes Side Primary School
- Highfield High School
- Highfurlong School
- Kincraig County Primary School
- Layton Primary School
- Lotus School
- Marton Primary Academy and Nursery
- Moor Park Primary School
- St Johns C E Primary School
- St Nicholas C E Primary School
- Stanley Primary School
- Woodlands School
If you live in the Blackpool Council area and your child(ren) attends one of the schools listed above you can complete and submit our online free school meals form. If you have already been receiving the free school meal premium you do not need to reapply.
If you are currently in receipt of housing benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction you may not need to complete our form. If you are unsure please email our claims team at fsm@blackpool.gov.uk or ring 01253 478940 for advice.
If your child(ren) attends another school not listed above you will need to contact the school directly who will check if you qualify for free school meals. If you need information about school vouchers please contact your school.
How long will my child get free school meals?
Pupils eligible for free meals under the benefits based criteria have continued to receive this entitlement since 1 April 2018, even if their household circumstances have changed. These protections have been extended until the end of the 2025/26 school year. All pupils becoming eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances or phase of education until the end of the 2025/26 school year.
From the start of the 2026/27 school year, the Department for Education will introduce new eligibility criteria meaning that all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to receive a free meal. The DfE intend to end transitional protections with this change and will issue further guidance ahead of September 2026.
Change of school
If your child has recently changed school please email fsm@blackpool.gov.uk with your:
- Child ’s name
- Address
- Date of birth
- Previous school
- New school
- Date of change
If you cannot email please ring our team on 01253 478940 to advise.