Free School Meal Eligibility

If you are in receipt of certain benefits, a free tasty and nutritious school meal is available for your children at school but you must apply. 

The benefits are: 

• A free school meal for your child, which is good for their health and could help their learning 

• Savings for you, worth over £350 a year 

• Extra money for the school through Pupil Premium, worth at least £900 a year 

• Subsidised school trips and residential visits 

By registering your child for Free School Meals, it means that school receives the extra money even if you don’t take up the free meal. No one will know you have registered and it will not affect any other benefits you are claiming. 

Please note that this is different to Universal Infant Free School Meals where all infant children are entitled to a free school meal. 

Do you qualify? 

Your child will be eligible for Free School Meals if you get any of these benefits: 

• 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 Guarantee element of State Pension Credit Apply for Free School Meals

• Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190 

• Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ – the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit 

• Universal Credit 

Pupils can qualify for Free School Meals if they get any of these benefits themselves. 

How does it work? 

1. Checking whether you qualify and registering is quick and easy to do online, simply open the hyperlink below: 

https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/sims

2. If you want your child to have a free, healthy meal at lunchtime that’s great, they will get the free meal (saving you more than £350 a year) and the school gets extra money to help your child and others in their class. 

3. If you don’t want your child to have a free school meal they can continue as normal – as long as you qualify, and are registered, the school still gets the extra money.