Universal infant free school meal allocations 2026 to 2027

The DfE will adjust the provisional payment for the UIFSM grant in 2026 downwards by 20%, based on DfE forecasts of infant pupils becoming eligible for the new free school meals entitlement.

This is not a reduction in overall funding, but instead a transfer between two different funding streams.

Read our UIFSM guidance to understand how this will work.

The DfE will publish funding allocations before the end of June 2026.

Final UIFSM payments will be reconciled in June 2027, for the period of September 2026 to March 2027. The DfE will adjust these as needed to ensure each school receives the correct amount overall.