Free school meals and pupil premium
If you receive certain benefits and have a child in primary or secondary school, your child may be eligible for free school meals.
By registering for free school meals, you also help your child’s school get extra government funding called the pupil premium. This funding helps schools provide extra tuition, teacher training, and after-school activities that support learning for all pupils.
Many schools rely on this funding to offer important resources and opportunities they would not otherwise be able to afford. Most schools explain how they use the pupil premium on their websites, so you can see how it benefits your child’s education directly.
Who qualifies for free school meals
When you apply for free school meals, we will check whether you qualify under one of 2 categories.
Targeted
Your child qualifies for targeted free school meals if your household receives Universal Credit and has annual earnings of £7,400 or less.
If you qualify:
- your child will receive free school meals
- your child will receive Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) vouchers
- your child's school will receive pupil premium funding
Expanded
Your child may qualify for expanded free school meals if your households receives Universal Credit but does not qualify for targeted free school meals.
If you qualify, your child will receive free school meals.
The Free School Meals Team or your child’s school will tell you which category your child qualifies for.
Apply for free school meals
Download the free school meals application form (PDF, 114.78 KB), save it to your device and complete it.
Save the completed form and email it to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
You can also ask your child’s school for a paper application form. Return the completed form to the school or email it to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
You do not need to provide proof of your benefits when you apply. If we cannot confirm your eligibility automatically, we will contact you for more information.
Who can get free school meals?
Children in reception, year 1 and year 2
All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 at state-maintained schools can get free school meals. This applies regardless of their family's income or benefits.
This is known as Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM).
To register, ask your child’s school for an application form.
Children in years 3 to 6
All children in years 3 to 6 at state-maintained schools in London can get free school meals. This applies regardless of their family's income or benefits. These meals are funded through the Mayor of London's universal free school meals scheme.
To register, see How to apply for free school meals to download the application form, or ask your child’s school for a paper copy.
Children in years 7 to 11
Your child may qualify for free school meals depending on your household circumstances. See 'free school meals benefit criteria' below.
To register, see How to apply for free school meals to download the application form, or ask your child’s school for a paper copy.
Sixth form students aged 16 to 18
Students may qualify for free school meals depending on your household circumstances. See 'free school meals benefit criteria' below.
We can only accept applications for students attending a sixth form that is part of a secondary school in Enfield.
To register, see How to apply for free school meals to download the application form, or ask your child’s school for a paper copy.
Free school meals benefit criteria
To be eligible for free school meals, a parent or carer must receive one of the following benefits. Young people who receive any of these benefits themselves can also apply:
- Universal Credit – only if your annual earnings (after tax) are £7,400 or less (£616.67 per month). (Just receiving Universal Credit does not guarantee eligibility – you must meet the earnings limit above).
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit only (without Working Tax Credit) – if your annual income before tax is £16,190 or less. (If you also receive Working Tax Credit you are not eligible).
- Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
How to apply for free school meals
Download the free school meals application form (PDF, 114.78 KB), save it to your device and complete it.
Save the completed form and email it to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
You can also ask your child’s school for a paper application form. Return the completed form to the school or email it to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
You do not need to provide proof of your benefits when you apply. If we cannot confirm your eligibility automatically, we will contact you for more information.
Application processing times
We usually process applications within 10 working days, although it may take longer during September and October when we receive more applications.
If you have already applied, do not apply again unless you need to provide new or updated information.
If your application is successful, we will tell your child’s school.
Schools that manage their own application process
Some Enfield schools manage their own free school meal applications.
Contact your child's school directly if they attend:
- Aim North London
- Alma Primary
- ARK John Keats Academy
- Houndsfield Primary
- Keys Meadow Primary
- Merryhills Primary
- Oasis Academy Enfield
- Oasis Academy Hadley
- One Degree Academy
- Wolfson Hillel Primary
- Worcesters Primary
- Wren Academy Enfield
Schools outside Enfield
If your child attends a school outside Enfield, apply through the relevant council or contact the school directly.
How we check eligibility
We use the Department for Education’s Eligibility Checking System (ECS) to check whether your child qualifies for free school meals.
This system checks information held by:
- the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- the Home Office (HO)
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
The system only tells us whether you are eligible. It does not share any personal information about you or your child.
Free school meals cannot be backdated. Your child will be eligible from the date we confirm their eligibility.
Families with no recourse to public funds
Children from households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), can receive free school meals if the family’s income is below certain limits. This includes any financial support or income you and your partner receive.
Check the Department for Education (DfE) guidance on free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds to find out if you qualify and what evidence you need to provide.
Complete the application form provided with the guidance and email it with your supporting evidence to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
Contact us
ESAS and Free School Meals
Civic Centre
Silver Street
Enfield
EN1 3XA
Email: freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8379 5367 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm)
Mayor of London universal free school meals
All children attending state-funded primary schools in London automatically receive free school meals. Families could save around £500 per child each year.
The scheme was introduced by the Mayor of London in September 2023 and has been extended through the 2026/2027 school year.
If you receive benefits, you should still apply for free school meals. This allows your child's school to claim pupil premium funding to support pupil’s learning, wellbeing and activities.
For more information, visit Mayor of London - Free School Meals.
Moving to a different school
Moving to a school in Enfield
If your child moves to another school in Enfield, let us know so we can transfer their free school meal entitlement to the new school.
Moving to a school outside Enfield
If your child moves to a school outside Enfield, contact the new school or council to find out how to apply for free school meals.
Holiday activities and food programme
The holiday activities and food programme (HAF) provides free activities during the Easter, summer and winter school holidays. Activities include sports, arts and crafts.
The programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and is for children from reception to year 11 who qualify for free school meals under the Targeted category.