Scottish income limit for free school meals takes effect from 1st April 2026

The household income limit for Universal Credit claimants applying for free school meals in Scotland is £11,940 a year, equivalent to £995 a month, from 1st April 2026¹. The figure applies to secondary school pupils only; primary pupils in P6 and P7 qualify if their household receives Scottish Child Payment¹.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own free school meals schemes with different eligibility rules, and the expansion of eligibility in England from September 2026 applies to England only¹. In Scotland, all children in Primary 1 to 5 are entitled to free school meals regardless of household income, as are P6 and P7 pupils whose household claims Scottish Child Payment¹.

The means-tested thresholds differ by nation:

In Wales, secondary school pupils in years 7 and 8 qualify for free school meals from September 2026 if their household receives Universal Credit, regardless of household income, with older year groups expected to be included in later phases¹. Northern Ireland has no universal free school meal provision; children there are also eligible if they have a statement of special educational needs and are designated to need a special diet, or board at a special school¹.

Families with no recourse to public funds can still be eligible for free school meals where household income is below specified limits: £22,700 outside London with one child, £26,300 outside London with two or more children, £31,200 within London with one child and £34,800 within London with two or more children¹.

Why it matters for households

For families in Scotland claiming Universal Credit, the income limit that applies to a free school meals claim for a secondary pupil is £11,940 a year from 1st April 2026¹. Households whose earnings sit below that figure can claim; those above it cannot, on the means-tested route. Primary pupils in P1 to P5 are covered regardless of income, and P6 and P7 pupils are covered where the household receives Scottish Child Payment¹.

Free school meals are administered by local authorities but normally claimed through the child's school, either by downloading a form from the school's website or collecting a paper copy from the school office¹. In Northern Ireland, help is administered by local education and library boards¹.

Local authorities, and sometimes schools, in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales can provide a grant of around £100 a year towards the cost of a school uniform and sports kit, with eligibility criteria often matching those for means-tested free school meals, though elements and amounts may differ by area¹.

What happens next

From the 2026/27 school year, eligibility for free school meals will be checked every year, ahead of the October school census, and the check result is valid for the full academic year¹. Applications can be made from 1st June 2026 for the start of the autumn term¹. Where a household becomes eligible for Universal Credit during the school year, it should claim at that point and will remain eligible for the remainder of the year¹. Some local authorities re-enrol children automatically; where they do not, a fresh claim is needed each year¹.

More on benefits and on money help in Scotland is set out in the site's guides.