Eligibility

If you think you may be eligible for your child to receive Free School Meals, please read the following information (which can also be found at https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/schools/free-school-meals/

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

  • Universal Credit with a household income of less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
  • Income-Based Jobseekers' Allowance
  • Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit, not entitled to Working Tax Credit and household income less than £16,190
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
  • Income Support
  • Working Tax Credit 'run on' – the payment you receive for a further four weeks after you finish work

If your child is currently eligible for free school meals, that eligibility will be protected until Universal Credit is introduced (expected March 2022) even if your circumstances change. If your child is still in education on this date, they will be eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they are in.

If you have a younger child starting school in September and you are no longer eligible, they will not be protected because this would be a new claim.

Plpease note that all Infant children are eligible to receive a free meal each day under the Government's funding arrangements.  We do encourage all parents to consider applying even in this situation as school receives additional funding for each child who is recognised as being in receipt of Free School Meals.

What happens next

We will confirm whether you are eligible by email. If you do not get an email within 5 working days, contact your area education office. Remember to also check your spam or junk email folder.

If you are eligible, we will let the school know that your child can have free school meals.

Schools differ in how they inform the dinner service who can get free school meals. Please contact your school if you have any questions.

Apply online

https://lancashire-self.achieveservice.com/service/Free_school_meals_and_pupil_premium

Apply by phone

You can ring your local area education office. It must be the person claiming the benefit that rings.

You will need to provide your:

  • Name
  • Date of birth
  • National insurance number

They will confirm whether you are entitled over the telephone.

Apply by post

Download the application form and return it to your local area education office.

If you apply by post we will notify you by email, or post if you do not provide an email address.