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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Education
    3. Schools, learning and development
    4. School life

    Nutrition and school meals

    Your child could get free meals or milk at school. Schools must provide free meals for eligible pupils, paid-for meals where requested and good facilities and supervision, so pupils can eat safely.

    Free school meals

    In June 2025, it was announced that families who receive Universal Credit and have up to £15,390 of annual household earnings (after tax) can apply for free school meals. This is a rise from £15,000 in 2024/25.

    Your child will be entitled to free school meals if they are at school or pre-school (full-time) and you get any of the following: 

    • Universal Credit and your household's net earnings (after tax) aren't over £15,390 per year
    • Income Support
    • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    • support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
    • guarantee element of State Pension Credit

    Your child will also be able to get free school meals if your child has a statement of special educational needs and is designated to need a special diet.

    Children or young people who get any of these benefits themselves, rather than through a parent or guardian, will also be entitled to free school meals.

    • Income Support
    • Jobseeker's Allowance
    • Universal Credit

    Apply for free school meals

    To get more information about applying for free school lunches, go to:

    • Education Authority
    • Apply for free school meals

    School meals and other food

    As your children spend much of their time in school, they need nutritious food for long-term good health. This includes food that is available in the canteen, vending machines and tuck shops. A healthy, balanced diet also helps your child learn in the classroom and leads to improved educational outcomes.

    To read more about nutrition standards in school meals, go to:

    • School food

    Packed lunches

    If your child takes a packed lunch from home, they need healthy food and snacks. To read tips on what to put in their lunchbox, go to:

    • Packing a healthy lunch (English and Irish translation)

    Milk

    Free school milk is given all pupils at special schools, to those in other schools where it is necessary for their health and where a pupil does not have access to school meals. Pre-school pupils are also eligible for free milk. Subsidised milk is available to nursery, primary and post-primary pupils.

    • EU School Milk Subsidy Scheme 

    More useful links

    • Healthy eating for children
    • Healthy eating for adolescents
    • School uniform and uniform grants
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    School life

    • Children from the Traveller community
    • Greener schools: what parents can do
    • Home to school transport
    • If your child’s first language isn’t English or Irish
    • Nutrition and school meals
    • School terms and school closures
    • School uniform and uniform grants

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