If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, you will automatically be entitled for free meals under the new 'Universal Infant Free School Meals' criteria.

If you are in receipt of benefits such as Universal Credit, then you may be entitled to apply for Free School Meals for your child. Even if your circumstances have only changed for the short term, you still have the right to apply.

The Free School Meals entitlement can be applied for where the parent’s income satisfies the following conditions at the time of applying:

• 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 (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190).
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get).

If you believe your child should be eligible for Free School Meals based on these criteria, you can apply now through our online eligibility checker. This is a quick and easy way to make your application and we will confirm your eligibility once the check is completed.

Where benefit claims have only recently progressed, there may be a delay in confirming eligibility, however our system re-checks every day for 30 days to allow time for benefit claims to update on the Department for Work and Pensions systems.

 If you required assistance or would like the school to submit an application on your behalf, please contact us directly by phone.

If your circumstances subsequently change and you are no longer entitled to Free School Meals, your child’s school will continue to receive funding to support your child for 6 years. All matters regarding Free School Meals are treated confidentially.