Have your financial circumstances changed? Could your child be entitled to free school meals?
If your child qualifies for free school meals you may also get help with things like transport costs, school trips and uniform.
It’s really easy to apply and if your application is successful, money for school meals is automatically credited to your child’s ParentPay account for them to use in school.
Your child may be entitled to free school meals if your household receives:
- 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)
The benefits of free school meals extend beyond the school day as children also gain access to the Holiday Activities and Food program, offering free activities and nutritious meals during school holidays at Easter, Christmas and over the summer.
More information about free school meals, including information on how to apply, and eligibility criteria can be found here.
If you have any questions or support regarding the application process for free school meals, you can contact [email protected] or call 01926 35918.
Parents & carers of Year 6 students may want to sign up for free school meals before they start secondary school in September.
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