--- title: "Free School Meals" url: "https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-meals/free-school-meals" school: "Castle Hill Primary School" --- New Parents Open Mornings/Evenings [BOOKING LINK](https://forms.gle/g4XGU2Un71Zr7dw86) # Free School Meals **Are you eligible for free school meals?** The Government is giving money to schools to help children from lower income families do their very best. This funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’. For every child registered, Castle Hill Primary School receives funding which enables us to provide additional support and resources, for example, extra one-to-one tuition, new equipment and materials for pupils or provide extra classroom support. If you are registered for Free School Meals you could also get help with costs to support your child’s education and achievement. For example, the pupil premium can help fund the cost of school trips, extra-curricular activities and books. Please register to make sure your child and others in their class and the school don’t miss out. No one will know you have registered and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming. **NEW GUIDANCE ON CHANGES TO FREE SCHOOL MEAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA** Extension of Free School Meal Eligibility, From September 2026 - From the start of the 2026/27 school year, the Department for Education (DfE) will extend FSM entitlement to all children from households receiving Universal Credit. Any families in receipt of Universal Credit who have not previously applied for FSM are asked to apply via the Hampshire portal, preferably before the end of the Summer term to ensure that their eligibility is confirmed in time for September. Going forward, there will be 2 categories of benefits-based free school meals: 1. **Targeted FSM**, which continues to be based on the existing threshold, covering pupils who are in households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less. Pupils eligible for Targeted FSM will receive Pupil Premium funding. 2. **Expanded FSM**, a new category covering pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but who are in households receiving Universal Credit. Pupils eligible for Expanded FSM will not receive Pupil Premium funding. **Applying for Free School Meals** Applications for Free School Meals should be submitted using the following link: [Free school meals \| Education and learning \| Hampshire County Council](https://www.hants.gov.uk/educationandlearning/freeschoolmeals) Please note that any applications made before September 2026 will be assessed against the current eligibility thresholds, but will later be rechecked against the new thresholds ahead of the new academic year. Full guidance on existing criteria can be found on the [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/) website: [Free school meals: guidance for schools and local authorities - GOV.UK ](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools-and-local-authorities) ### Finance - [School Hardship Fund](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-hardship-fund) - [Pupil Premium](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/pupil-premium) - [School Meals](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-meals) - [School Meals Information](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-meals) - [Free School Meals](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-meals/free-school-meals) - [Cool Milk](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/school-meals/cool-milk) - [Sports Premium](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/sports-premium) - [Online Payments](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/online-payments) - [Financial Information](https://castlehillprimary.net/finance/financial-information) ![Castle Hill Primary School](https://files.schudio.com/castle-hill-primary-school/images/logo/chps-logo-120(1).png) #### Castle Hill Primary School 01256 473777 #### Greenbank Campus - Castle Hill Primary School Greenbank Campus Greenbank, Winklebury Way Basingstoke, Hampshire RG23 8BN #### Rooksdown Campus - Castle Hill Primary School Rooksdown Campus Park Prewett Road, Basingstoke, Hants RG24 9XA #### Social Media - [X](https://twitter.com/chps_bstoke) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/castlehillbstoke/) © Copyright 2018–2026 Castle Hill Primary School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://castlehillprimary.net/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/) [![](https://files.schudio.com/castle-hill-primary-school/images/splash/unnamed_(27).png)](https://join.easyfundraising.org.uk/castlehillsch/39CVHU/c2s/ivmwxk6U/CE092/facebook/)