Free School Meals

From September 2026, students can receive free school meals (FSM) if their household meets the criteria for one of two categories: –

1. Expanded FSM for households that receive Universal Credit and have earnings of more than £7,400 per year; the student is entitled to a free school meal each day; OR

• Targeted FSM for households that receive Universal Credit and have earnings of less than £7,400 per year; the student is entitled to a free school meal each day and access to activities on the HAF programme during school breaks

Information You’ll Need to Apply You Need

• The claimant’s legal name, date of birth, address and contact details.
• The claimant’s National Insurance number
• The claimant’s legal name and date of birth

How to Apply

The parent or carer should submit an online application at https://apply.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/southampton

If the student is eligible, the school will be advised, and the student’s entitlement will be actioned on the school’s systems for the duration of the current academic year. Applying is confidential and does not identify FSM pupils to other students.

When to Apply

The student’s eligibility must be verified every year.  We recommend parents/carers check their child’s eligibility at the end of every summer term, to ensure eligible students receive their allowance promptly at the beginning of each new academic year.

How meals are provided daily

Students in Years 7, 8 and 11 can choose something to eat and drink up to the value of £2.80 during the second break at 12h50 only – any canteen purchases that exceed £2.80 and/or are taken during first break at 10h40, will be for the parent/carer’s account

Students in Years 9 and 10 can choose something to eat and drink up to the value of £2.80 during the first break at 11h30 only – any canteen purchases that exceed £2.80 and/or are taken during the second break at 13h40, will be for the parent/carer’s account

The menu choices and price list can be viewed at https://www.cantell.co.uk/parents/canteen/

Families with No Recourse to Public Funds

Students from households with temporary immigration permission may be entitled to free school meals subject to: –

• The parent’s immigration category
• The household’s income
• The number of children in the household
• A maximum of £16,000 in capital/savings

For more information, please view https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools-and-local-authorities/providing-free-school-meals-to-families-with-no-recourse-to-public-funds-nrpf

Eligibility will be determined once a completed application form and evidence is submitted to the school.  This can be handed in person at the school reception desk or by email to info@cantell.co.uk

NRPF Application Form

Southampton City Council – Crisis Resilience Fund

From Autumn 2026, Southampton City Council will no longer provide supermarket vouchers during school holidays to families with children who receive benefits-related free school meals.

School holidays can bring additional costs for families, and some households may need extra support. The support SCC provide is changing so that help can be focused on households experiencing the greatest financial difficulty. Families experiencing financial difficulty may be able to access the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). The fund provides support for households facing a financial crisis and unable to meet essential, immediate costs.

More information about the Crisis Resilience Fund and cost of living support is available online.

To be able to access the Crisis and Resilience Fund, you must be:

• A Southampton resident

• On a low-income

• Experiencing a financial shock or crisis

More information about how to apply for support can be found online through the Southampton Citizens Advice service.

SCC will also be launching a new Crisis Payment Scheme for residents in late October 2026.

Separate funding has been allocated to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which will continue to provide free holiday activities and nutritious meals for eligible young people during the school holidays. Further information on eligibility and how to access the programme is available online.

This means eligible young people will still be able to access the HAF programme, even though supermarket vouchers will no longer be provided during school holidays.