Free School Meals (FSM) provide eligible children and young people with a free, healthy meal during the school day. They can help families with the cost of school meals and make sure children have access to nutritious food while they are at school. This in turn improves students’ wellbeing and helps them concentrate, learn and participate fully in school. 

In Bristol, children may be eligible if their family receives certain benefits, including Universal Credit, the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit, or certain support under the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) scheme.

There is more information on the Bristol City Council website here 

For more information about the catering service at Cotham (Innovate), and to view the menu for 2026/27 click here.

Please read the information below, and if you think your child may be eligible, please fill in the Free School Meals form. 

How do I apply?

Parents and carers can apply for Free School Meals through Bristol City Council's online application service. The link to apply is here.

You will need to provide information such as your name, date of birth and National Insurance number. Bristol City Council will check the information provided to see whether your child is eligible. 

If your application is successful, Bristol City Council will let you and your child's school know. When you receive your confirmation email, it’s helpful to send it in to the school so there is no delay in updating your child’s FSM eligibility status. 

What changed in September 2026?

From the start of the 2026–27 school year, Free School Meals were expanded across England.

All children living in a household receiving Universal Credit can now qualify for Free School Meals, regardless of the household's earnings. This means some families who did not qualify under the previous rules may now be eligible.

If your child was not eligible previously, please check and apply again. Changes in your circumstances may mean that your application could be successful next time.

There are now two categories for eligibility for Free School Meals:

Expanded Free School Meals
Children in households receiving Universal Credit (any amount), whose annual household earnings are above £7,400 can now receive Free School Meals under the new expanded entitlement. This provides the free meal, although it does not carry additional funding (Pupil Premium).

Targeted Free School Meals
Children in households receiving Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less qualify for targeted FSM. This category is important because it can also mean that the school receives additional Pupil Premium funding. For more information about Pupil Premium Funding and our strategy, click here. 

Some families who live in the UK have a visa condition called No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF). Please contact your child’s Learning Coordinator to find out how we can help you and your family with accessing Free School Meals and any other support.

Note: The funding arrangements for children who are looked after/in care or adopted from care are different. Please contact the Hope Virtual School for details: 0117 9036282 or go to www.bristol.gov.uk and search for ‘Hope Virtual School’.

Need help?

If you have questions about Free School Meals or need help with your application, contact your child’s Learning Coordinator, or email Bristol City Council's Free School Meals team.

Email: free.school.meals@bristol.gov.uk