FREE SCHOOL MEALS
The price of a school meal is £2.95 (£14.75 per week).
Parents claiming some benefits can claim free school meals for any of their children who are registered at a Staffordshire school. School meals are a good way to ensure that your child eats well at lunchtime, and you can save yourself time and money. You will also receive contributions towards school residentials.
This is different to Reception and KS1 pupils all receiving a free school lunch. If you meet the criteria, then you will also receive free school lunches in KS2. Even if you don’t want your children to have the meals, claiming them helps the school to receive extra funding to support all pupils in receipt of free school meals. The more eligible parents who claim meals, the more funding school receives.
The general low-income entitlement criteria is:
• Income Support
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance. Please note the ‘new style’ job seekers allowance is not a qualifying benefit, as this is based upon payment of National Insurance contributions and not the household income
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance. Please note the ‘new style’ employment and support allowance is not a qualifying benefit, as this is based upon payment of National Insurance contributions and not the household income
• eligible for Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and the household income (as used by HMRC to assess tax credits) is not more that £16,190. Please note: anyone eligible for Working Tax Credit, or if you have a partner and they receive it, regardless of Income, you will not qualify
• The Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• In receipt of the 4-week run on of working tax credit (this is where someone becomes unemployed or reduces their hours and so is no longer entitled to working tax credit but will continue to receive it for a further 4 weeks and is entitled to free meals during that time)
• Universal credit (provided you have an annual net earned household income of no more than £7,400 as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods). Your net earned income is your household income after taxes and deductions and does not include income from Universal Credit or any other benefits you may receive.
To make a claim please use the online application form https://apps2.staffordshire.gov.uk/web/fsmweb/
Once you have made a claim and have been accepted, please let the school office know. If you need help completing the form, then please get in touch.