Introduction

If you are in receipt of certain benefits your child may be entitled to free school meals, saving you up to £470 per year per child. This scheme is available for school-age children and to post-16 students at a school with a sixth form or college.

Eligibility for free school meals

Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive any of the following:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

Your child may also get free school meals if you receive any of these benefits and your child is both:

• Younger than the compulsory starting age of school
• In full-time education

Apply for free school meals below.

Free School Meal Application Form

Infant free school meals

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are eligible for Universal free school meals if they're in a Government-funded school.

You need to apply if you wish to benefit from the Low Income FSM and Pupil Premium.
Currently it may mean you become eligible for the Holiday Vouchers Scheme and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme.