Free School Meals

AM I ELIGIBLE?

From September 2014 all children who are in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 in a state-funded school will be offered a free healthy school lunch.  Children in other school years will also be offered a free school lunch if their joint family income is under £16,190 per year, or if it is over £16,190 but their parent is receiving any of the following welfare benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support from NASS (National Asylum Support Service) under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit run-on
• Universal Credit.
• Asylum Seekers
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

KCC may ask for proof of benefit after you apply.

Registering could raise money for your child’s school

Registering for free meals could raise an extra £1,480 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 in the form. It is therefore important to sign up for free school meals, even if your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2, so that your child’s school receives as much funding as possible.

A summary of the latest expenditure of the Pupil Premium Grant can be found under the appropriate section on the school website.

You are able to check your eligibility for Free School Meals and register online at the following address:
https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/kent/  

If you are unable to access the internet in order to do this, please call into the school office and collect a paper form, which will enable the school to process your eligibility check for you.

If you believe that you may be eligible, even if you perhaps may only be eligible for a short time, please register.  Once a child has been in receipt of Free School Meals, the Pupil Premium Funding is allocated to them for 6 years.

Benefits of receiving free school meals

In Kent, 21% of children receive free school meals. If you are eligible and register your child will get:

• a choice of delicious, healthy hot meals every school day at no cost - this is worth £470 a year per child and recognised to improve behaviour and learning meals to cater for cultural, dietary, and religious requirements.
• the chance to develop social skills by sitting with friends for a school meal.
• a £10 food voucher per eligible child each week during the school holidays, which can be spent in supermarkets and local shops.
• The school will receive additional funding to cover the catering cost and school funding grants, such as the Pupil Premium, based on their take up of free school meals.

Universal free school meals

If your child is in year R, year 1 or year 2 they are entitled to universal free school meals - all children in these year groups can get a free meal at school each day.

If you receive certain benefits, your child’s school can also get some additional money to support your child’s learning. We encourage you to check your eligibility and apply online as your child’s school can benefit from the additional funding if you apply for the free school meals.