Free school meals — guidance for schools: what changed
These dated notes record changes detected in the official guidance. Check the current GOV.UK document before acting.
- 2 September 2026: A template letter has been added to the guidance to assist schools in communicating changes to free school meal eligibility criteria to parents.
- 5 August 2026: The guidance has been updated to include information regarding a new checking service for verifying free school meal eligibility.
- 1 July 2026: A model communication template has been added to assist schools and local authorities in informing parents or carers about upcoming changes to free school meals.