Upcoming changes to Free School Meals from September 2026 and how these changes may affect eligibility for Healthy Holidays Calderdale.
You may be aware, from September 2026, receiving Free School Meals will not automatically mean a child is eligible for Healthy Holidays Calderdale. Eligibility for the programme will continue to be linked to Targeted Free Schools Meals.
More about free school meals categories:
| FSM | Who Benefits? | What Children Receive? |
| Targeted | Pupils whose families receive Universal Credit with annual household earnings of £7,400 or less | Free school meals during term time Free places at Healthy Holidays Calderdale schemes during the holidays Other support e.g. uniform grants |
| Expanded | Pupils who do not qualify for targeted FSM, but whose families receive Universal Credit | Free school meals during term time |
| Universal | All pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 regardless of family income. | Free school meals during term time |
There will be 3 categories of free school meals:
- Targeted
- Expanded
- Universal
Depending which category your family falls under, your children may or may not also be eligible to attend free Healthy Holidays Calderdale schemes during school holidays.
Transitional Protection Changes
Since April 2018, around 10,000 children and young people in Calderdale have had free school meals protected under Transitional Protection. These protections will end in July 2026. From September 2026, some children may no longer qualify for free school meals, while other families may become eligible for free school meals for the first time.
Receiving free school meals does not automatically mean a child is eligible for the Healthy Holidays Calderdale Programme. Eligibility for Healthy Holidays Calderdale will remain linked to Targeted Free School Meals.



