If your child is eligible for free school meals, the school will get extra funding for your child's education when you apply – £1,320 per child in primary school and £935 per child in secondary school.
This funding is called Pupil Premium.
The money can be used to help with the cost of school trips, extra teaching staff and activities.
Can my child get free school meals?
Nursery (pre-schoolers age 3 and 4)
Your child could be eligible for free school meals if they attend a maintained nursery school all day and you receive a qualifying benefit.
Infant school - Reception and Years 1 and 2
All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 get free school meals regardless of your income. Get in touch with your school if you haven't had a letter about this. But if you or your partner do receive a qualifying benefit, please apply or the school won't get the funding.
Junior and Senior school – Year 3 to Year 11
Your child could be eligible for free school meals if you or your partner receives a qualifying benefit.
Qualifying Benefits
If you or your partner receives any of the following benefits you can apply for free school meals.
- Universal Credit – your household earned annual income must be less than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment Support Allowance
- Support under part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed part of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit – with no Working Tax Credit and your annual household income is no more than £16,190, as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs
How long will my child get free school meals?
There is no change to eligibility criteria if you receive a legacy benefit.
If you receive or are moving to Universal Credit, your child will get free school meals until March 2022, regardless of any changes to you or your partner's income.
After March 2022, existing children who no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, i.e. primary or secondary.
For example:
- If your child is in year 4 in 2022, they will receive free school meals until they finish primary school. They will not be eligible in secondary school if you and your partner's income is more than £7,400 per year.
- If your child is in year 9 in 2022, they will receive free school meals until they finish secondary school even if your income is more than £7,400 per year.
Applying
For more information on applying, please see the Warwickshire County Council website:
