Who Qualifies for Free School Meals?

Not all parents have to pay for school meals for their children. Parents on income based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit or support under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are all eligible for free school meals for their children.

In addition, parents who are claiming Child Tax Credit are eligible as long as their annual income does not exceed £16,040, and they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit. However, if a parent receives Working Tax Credit for the four week period after their employment comes to an end, and those who start to work under 16 hours per week, can also expect free school lunches for their children. If a child receives Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income Support in their own right, i.e. they are in the sixth form, they are also entitled to claim free school lunches.

How To Apply For Free School Lunches

In order to get free school lunches you need to apply to your local authority. You can do this by downloading the appropriate form and guidance notes from your local authority and sending it to the address specified on the form or website.

Nutritional Standards of School Meals

All Local Education Authority maintained schools are required to meet national standards for nutrition for their pupils. The campaign for better school meals has been high profile and has resulted in the removal of fizzy drinks, chocolate and crisps from vending machines, a limit on the number of deep-fried portions of food that can be served each week, and the introduction of regular offerings of high quality poultry, meat and oily fish. In addition, there are at least two portions of fruit and vegetables in each meal and potatoes, bread and other cereals are also readily available. If other meals and snacks are also provided in school, they also have to meet the national nutritional requirements.

Free Milk

There is no legal requirement for local authorities to provide milk to pupils. If they decide to do so, the milk must be free for children who qualify for free school lunches. Nursery and primary school children are provided with 250ml of milk per day which is subsidized by a European Community scheme. Children under the age of five are eligible for free school milk, but you must make a claim for this through your local authority.

Free Fruit and Vegetables

Under the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, the government pays for a free piece of fruit or vegetable once per day on each school day for pupils between the age of four and six years old. However, this is not mandatory and schools do not have to opt in to the scheme. It is also only available to Local Education Authority maintained infant, primary or special schools. The fruit and vegetables that are currently part of the scheme include: pears, strawberries, carrots, bananas, easy peel citrus, cocktail tomatoes, sugar snap peas, pears and mini cucumbers.