Free School meals - Action Required
Letter to Parents - Published July 2026
Dear Parent/Carer,
Important Update: Free School Meals – Action Required
We are writing to inform you of important changes to the Government's Free School Meals (FSM) eligibility criteria.
If your child currently receives Free School Meals you must take the following action:
Due to changes in the Government's eligibility process, all families currently receiving Free School Meals must reapply to ensure their child continues to receive this benefit.
You must complete your application using the link below by 31 August 2026.
Please see the "How to check your eligibility" section below
If you do not reapply by this date, your child's current entitlement to Free School Meals will end on 31 August 2026, and they will not receive Free School Meals when school returns in September.
If you have multiple children attending the school, you must complete an application for each child.
If your child does not currently receive Free School Meals:
We strongly encourage all families to check whether they are now eligible. The Government has recently changed the eligibility criteria, meaning that some families who were not previously entitled to Free School Meals may now qualify.
Checking your eligibility only takes a few minutes and could provide valuable financial support for your family. In addition, every eligible application helps the school secure additional funding to support our students.
How to check your eligibility
Please visit fsm.lgfl.net/app/school/19323 and complete the online eligibility check.
When completing the application, please select:
- Local Authority: Bolton
- School: Rivington and Blackrod High School
To complete the eligibility check, you will need:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your child's date of birth
Need help?
Although the school term ends shortly for the summer holidays, our administrative staff will continue to work throughout the summer holiday to support families with their applications.
If you require any assistance with completing your application or have any questions, please email office@rbhs.co.uk, and a member of our team will be happy to help.
We encourage every family to complete the eligibility check, even if you believe you may not qualify, as the recent changes to the eligibility criteria mean your circumstances may now meet the requirements.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter and for your continued support.