Free school meals are available to children whose parents qualify by meeting the criteria listed. Children must be in school all day and they will be provided with a meal at lunchtime that is paid for by the school. Parents/carers who receive any of the following are entitled to free school meals
- Income Support (IS)
- Employment Support Allowance (Income Related) - not Contribution related
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA) - not Contribution based
- Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC)
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
If you have recently become unemployed, but are still receiving Working Tax Credits, you may be entitled to free school meals.
Please call the Entitlements Team at Somerset Local Authority on 0845 345 9122 for advice.