Children in reception, year 1 and year 2

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 can get free school meals.

You must apply so that the school receives extra funding.

Children in year 3 and above

If your child is in year 3 or above, you or your child must receive one of the following to apply for free school meals:

• Income Support
• Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit – your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including benefits) 
• Child Tax Credit with a taxable income of no more than £16,190 and not in receipt of Working Tax Credit
• the Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
• support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)

If you receive Working Tax Credit you will not be entitled to free school meals unless you have:

• stopped work in the last 4 weeks; or
• reduced your hours to less than 16 hours in the last 4 weeks

Applications must be made in the name of the person who is receiving the benefit.

You only need to apply once. Any child eligible for free school meals from 1 April 2018 will keep their free school meals eligibility until 31 March 2022, even if your circumstances change.