Apply for free school meals
Important changes from September 2026
From September 2026, there will be changes to who can receive free school meals.
- Temporary protections that allowed children to continue to receive free school meals without rechecking eligibility will stop at the end of the 2025-2026 school year.
- Any family who receives Universal Credit at any level, will now qualify for free school meals.
If you're currently receiving free school meals, you don't need to do anything, we'll check your entitlement in July 2026 and let you know if you can no longer apply.
How to apply
To apply for free school meals:
- You and your child must both live in the borough of Rochdale or the city of Manchester. If you're claiming from an address in the city of Manchester, your child must attend a school in the borough of Rochdale. If you and your child live in any other borough regardless of where they go to school, you should contact your local council to apply instead.
- Complete the free school meals online application form below.
- If we award free school meals for a period you've already paid for, you can request a refund by contacting your school directly.
Free school meals application form
Applying again for a new school year
You don't need to re-apply for free school meals every year unless your circumstances change.
Food vouchers
We're investing millions of pounds to help support residents and households most in need.