Your child(ren) will be entitled to free school meals if you as the parent are in receipt of any of the following benefits:
- Job Seeker's Allowance (income-based)
- Income Support
- Universal Credit - Your annual income assessed by the Department for Work and Pension must be less than £7,400. Any pupil eligible for free school meals before 1 April 2018 when the earned income threshold is introduced will retain their eligibility until then end of universal credit roll-out which is March 2022
- Child Tax Credit (but NOT receiving Working Tax Credit) – provided your annual income, assessed by the Inland Revenue, does not exceed £16,190
(Please note: this amount is subject to change in April every year) - Employment Support Allowance (income-related)
- Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
Entitlement to free school meals is kept as confidential as possible. Many schools now have systems in place such as swipe cards or fingerprint identification systems, which do not identify to other pupils the fact that a child is receiving a free school meal.
The free school meal will remain in place for as long as your child continues to attend an East Riding of Yorkshire school and you continue to be entitled to one of the above qualifying benefits.