Free School Meals
Criteria
If you or your child is receiving any of the following benefits you may be eligible for free school meals:
- Income support
- Income based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income related Employment Support Allowance
- Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income of less than £16,190
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit (your household income must be less than £7,400 a year after tax and not including any benefits you receive)
If it is confirmed that your child is entitled to free school meals, they will remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they are in on 31 March 2022. There will be no need to inform your school or the council if your personal circumstances change.
Infant free school meals
Regardless of benefits or household earnings your child will be able to receive free school meals if they are in:
- reception class
- year 1
- year 2
All infant age children will receive free school dinners, however it is still worth applying if you meet the above criteria using the link above as the school will receive additional funding.
Also, if it is known that your child is eligible while in infant classes, they will continue to receive free school meals after they have left year 2 even if by then your personal circumstances have changed.
