Your child will automatically get a free school meal if they go to a government-funded (not private) school and are in:
- reception year
- year 1
- year 2
Free school meals are provided as part of the universal infant free school meals programme. You do not need to apply for free school meals, but if you fill in the form, you may be able to get more funding for your child's school.
How to get more funding for your child's school
If you get one of the following benefits and you fill in the application form, your child’s school may get extra funding. The extra funding is called the pupil premium and your child’s school could get an extra £1,455 per child each year.
Find out more above the pupil premium on GOV.UK.
Eligible benefits include:
- 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 guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (if you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and your yearly income, before tax, is less than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you have an annual net earned income of less than £7,400 (as assessed by earnings from up to 3 of your most recent assessment periods)
Go to 'Apply' to fill in the form.