What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is additional funding given to schools to help improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people. It is funding received by the school, rather than money paid directly to families.

Schools use Pupil Premium funding to address the needs and barriers experienced by disadvantaged pupils. It is not a personal budget for an individual child, and schools can use the funding for approaches that benefit groups of pupils where this meets identified needs. 

 

Pupil Premium and Free School Meals: Changes from September 2026

The government has made changes to Free School Meals from September 2026. We know that the difference between Free School Meals and Pupil Premium can be confusing, so we have explained the changes below.

 

What are Free School Meals?

From September 2026, all children whose household receives Universal Credit can qualify for a free school meal, regardless of how much the household earns. 

This means that more families can now receive help with the cost of school meals.

 

Are Free School Meals and Pupil Premium the same thing?

No. This is an important change from September 2026.

There are now two types of benefits-related Free School Meals:

Targeted Free School Meals

These are for families who meet the government's existing income-related criteria. For families receiving Universal Credit, this generally means household earnings of £7,400 a year or less.

Children in this group receive a free school meal and their eligibility can also generate Pupil Premium funding for their school. 

Expanded Free School Meals

From September 2026, children in households receiving Universal Credit who earn more than £7,400 can also qualify for free school meals.

These children are entitled to a free school meal, but being newly eligible through this expanded scheme does not automatically generate Pupil Premium funding for the school.

 

Does Pupil Premium belong to an individual child?

No. Pupil Premium is not an individual child's personal budget.

The school decides how to use its Pupil Premium funding after identifying the needs of disadvantaged pupils and considering which approaches are most likely to improve their educational outcomes. Funding may therefore support individual pupils, groups of pupils or whole-school approaches that particularly benefit disadvantaged pupils. 

 

What should parents and carers do?

If your household receives Universal Credit, your child may now qualify for Free School Meals even if you were not eligible previously. Families still need to register/apply so that their eligibility can be confirmed. 

If you live in Sheffield, further information about eligibility and applying for Free School Meals is available from Sheffield City Council.

 

 

Please click on the Discovery Logo below to see how our  most recent pupil premium strategy statement . . .