Free School Meals

Free School Meals is a benefit awarded in respect of children under the age of 19 where the parent or guardian is in receipt of one of the benefits shown below:

• Income Support;
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IB JSA);
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
• Child Tax Credit  (and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• The Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit.
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal credit

By Law no other category of support payment or combination of Tax Credits qualify for free school meals. Similarly, there are no other circumstances that can legally justify the provision of a free meal.

Please note that money received each week through Working Tax Credit benefit includes an amount for Free School Meals. This means that you do not qualify for a free meal if you receive it.

Registering for free meals could raise extra funding for your child’s school, to fund valuable support like extra tuition, additional teaching staff or after school activities. This additional money is available from central government for every child whose parent is receiving one of the welfare benefits listed above.

If you require any further information or support in registering for free school meals then please don’t hesitate to contact:

Mrs S Welborn (Assistant Headteacher) SWelborn@swanshurst.org 

Link to Free School Meals application.