Free school meals
Free School Meals are available for school children of parents or guardians who receive one of the following:
- Income Support.
- Job Seeker's Allowance (income based).
- Child Tax Credit, and have an annual income of less than £16,190 (as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs).
- Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit.
- Support payments under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
NB: If you are aged 16-18, still at school, and receive Income Support or income based Jobseeker's Allowance yourself, you can get free school meals.
If you are receiving Working Tax Credit, your child / children are not entitled to free school meals.
You must tell us if you have any changes affecting the above income, as it may affect your entitlement to Free School Meals.
How to apply for free school meals
You can request a Free School Meals application form from your school or from the Benefits Assessment Unit (0845-245-8000). Alternatively you can download the form here.
Free school meals form [PDF file 33KB]|
We will send you a letter telling you the start and end date of your Free School Meal entitlement. A copy of this letter will be sent to your child's school to let them know.
