About our school
Applying for Free School Meals
The school receives extra money for some free school meal pupils so that we can buy extra resources. Thank you for registering!
Important changes are coming to Free School meals.
From September, all families who are in receipt of Universal Credit will be entitled to Free School Meals, regardless of your household income.
If your child is currently registered for Free School Meals, the current registration will end on 31st August for all children across the UK. For your child to continue to receive Free School Meals you must reapply after 1st August. If you do not apply then your child will no longer registered for Free School Meals at the start of the new school year.
All children in Early Years, Year 1 & Year 2 are entitled to a free lunch (Universal Infant Free School Meals) – but this is not the same as being registered for Free School Meals. If you qualify for free school meals you will get other things, like discounts on trips, a free item of uniform each year and you will get a free meal for your child’s entire time at HNPF, not just the first few years. This could save you over £400 a year!
How to apply
From 1st August 2026, all parents should apply using the online form via www.cambridgeshire.gov/freeschoolmeals
Below are some really helpful guidance sheets from Cambridgeshire County Council – they give you very important information as there will be two different categories of Free School Meals.
Are you eligible?
You may be eligible to claim free school meals for your child if you claim the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (Targeted award)
- Universal Credit (Expanded award) (from September 2026)
Help & guidance
You can contact the school office in confidence and we’ll do our best to help.
You can also go directly to the FSM team at the council – call the Education Welfare Benefits team on 01223 703200 or e-mail them at ewb.fsm@cambridgeshire.gov.uk