Meal prices
Meal prices are:
- Nursery – free (for all children with a funded early learning and childcare place)
- Primary 1 to 5 – free
- Primary 6 to 7 - £2.35
- Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools – free
- Secondary schools - £2.70.
Price increase from August 2026
Primary and secondary school meal prices are increasing from August 2026:
- primary school meals are increasing by 10p to £2.45
- secondary school meals are increasing by 15p to £2.85.
This increase follows rising costs for food and preparing meals.
How to pay for school meals
You can pay for school meals using online cashless payment system ParentPay.
You can ask us for help or advice with money and find out how we manage school meal debt.
Who can get free school and nursery meals
Meals are free for:
- children at nursery, with a funded early learning and childcare place (you do not need to apply)
- children at nursery without a funded early learning and childcare place whose parents or carers receive certain benefits (you need to apply)
- pupils in primary 1 to primary 5 (you do not need to apply)
- pupils in primary 6 and 7 whose parents or carers receive the Scottish Child Payment (you need to apply)
- secondary school pupils whose parents or carers receive certain benefits (you need to apply)
- pupils in Additional Support Needs (ASN) schools (you do not need to apply).
Find out more about free school and nursery meals, holiday meal payments, and clothing grants.