School Meals

If you get certain welfare benefits, you can apply for free school meals for your child.

You could save up to £400 a year if your child gets free school meals and it will mean they get a healthy school lunch every day. All children in reception, year one and year two are also entitled to free school meals.

 

Who can get free school meals

Your child can get free school meals if your combined annual household income is below £16,190 (as assessed by HMRC) and you get one of the following benefits:

  • income-based: income support or jobseeker’s allowance (not eligible if on contribution based jobseeker’s allowance)
  • income-related: employment support allowance (not eligible if on contribution based employment support allowance)
  • universal credit
  • income support
  • the guaranteed element of state pension credit
  • support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • child tax credit only. 

If you're not on benefits

If your income is below £16,190 and you are not on any benefits your family will not be eligible.

If one parent earns above £16,190

If one partner or spouse in the household gets benefits and the other gets an annual income above £16,190, as assessed by HMRC, your family will not be eligible for free school meals

What other support your child will get

Free school meals are part of something called ‘pupil premium’. As well as providing free school meals, pupil premium provides extra funding of up to £1,350 to your child's school. The school can then use this funding to support your child’s education through extra tuition, teaching staff or after-school activities.

School meal cost

From 1st April 2024, the price of a child's meal changed to £3.00 per day or £15 per week for those who pay for their meals.