Young people from households with lower incomes may be entitled to free school meals.
Apply online for free school meals
Key information
- Families who are currently paying for school meals will save £400 a year for each secondary school pupil if they are entitled to free school meals.
- Schools receive £600 in additional funding each year for every student who is registered for free school meals, to support them to achieve.
- Many schools have systems which mean it is impossible for other pupils to know who is receiving free school meals.
- Secondary school pupils who are eligible for free school meals are entitled to a two course meal worth £2.25 each day.
Your Rights
Eligibility: all children who are at school; and are under 19 at the start of the academic year (4 September 2012) and are claiming or have parents who are claiming:
- Income Support or
- Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or
- Income-related employment and support allowance or
- Support under part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999 or
- Child Tax Credit but who are not entitled to working tax credit and whose annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) does not exceed £16,190 or
- Guarantee element of state pension credit
- Note: Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are entitled to free school meals.
How long does the entitlement last?
We will write to you to confirm entitlement has started and will continue to check eligibility via our secure Electronic Checking System.
If your personal circumstances change please fill in the change of circumstances form at the bottom of the page.
Processing your claim
We will process your claim within three working days of receiving a valid application form and advise you and your child's school of his/her entitlement to free school meals.
Please note If your child is attending one of the following secondary schools, you will need to apply direct to the school, as they administer their own free school meals:
What you can do
Check whether you are receiving any of the eligible benefits listed above. You can apply online for free school meals, using the link at the top of the page. You can also download a paper application form from the bottom of the page and post it to us.
How we can help
If you need further help you can call the Council’s Education Welfare Benefits Team. The team organises benefits which support children financially while they are at school or college. They deal with applications for free school meals, secondary clothing allowance and 16 – 19 Bursary Fund. They can give advice and complete an application for you over the phone.
Further sources of help
My School Lunch
Menus for school meals in Cambridgeshire and information about healthy eating