Free School Meals

Benefits of Registering for Free School Meals

There are two types of Free School Meals available, each offering distinct advantages:

  1. Universal Free School Meals: All children from Reception until the end of Year 2 are eligible for a hot meal through a government-funded scheme, regardless of their financial circumstances. You don’t need to apply separately for this; your child’s school will make the necessary arrangements.
  2. Income-Related Free School Meals: It is crucial to apply for income-related free school meals if you qualify, as it brings additional benefits to your child, yourself, and the school.

By obtaining approval for an Income-Related Free School Meals application, your child will benefit from:

  • Free milk: Your child will receive free milk at break-time during the period they are entitled to free school meals. The school will make appropriate arrangements for this. Simply let us know you would like milk.
  • The extra funding received by the school will benefit all children.

If you are currently receiving any of the following benefits, please apply for your child, yourself, and your child’s school:

  • Universal Credit with a household income of less than £7,400 per year (after tax, excluding other benefits)
  • Child Tax Credit with NO Working Tax Credit (income below £16,190)
  • Income Support
  • Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Guaranteed Element of Pension Credit
  • Support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, supported by a letter from the Asylum team

Please make sure to apply. For further information, you can contact the Free School Meals Team at Northumberland County Council via the following channels:

https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Education/Schools/Meals.aspx