Children eating at school

£231 Million Unclaimed in Free School Meals

Free school meals, worth hundreds to struggling families, goes unclaimed each year in the UK… and that means schools lose out too!

Families, including those who work and receive certain benefits including tax credits, are missing out on free school meals. Many don’t know they are eligible to apply and, according to critics, many are put off by the application process. Households could be saving hundreds of pounds in the cost of lunches per child per year.

Schools miss out too. Every child who gets free meals triggers over £1,000 in extra funding for their school. This funding is known in England as the Pupil Premium, or if we live in Wales, Pupil Development Grant and in Scotland: Pupil Equity Funding.

All primary school pupil’s will now also benefit from free breakfast clubs, it was announced during the King’s Speech. The Scottish government already backs free meals for young children in state schools.

How does it work?

Generally, free school meals are available to families claiming benefits, (including Child Tax Credit), or if we have a low or no income at all. This applies to school children up to the age of 18, if they attend a state maintained school. 

The meals provide children with a healthy lunch and drinks which research has shown helps with concentration, behaviour and attendance. It also saves us those last minute lunchbox panics and keeps the costs down for their grown ups.

Application process

To apply, we must be on certain benefits or be able to prove we have a low income. 

Eligibility differs around the UK. The most certain way of finding out if our children can get free meals is to apply directly to our local council via their website. Just type in Free School Meals into the search bar.

If we don’t have access to the internet, ring the local council and ask for information to be sent in the post. If we live in Northern Ireland: apply directly to the Northern Irish government. 

Added perks

If we’re on benefits, access to free school meals can also open up the chance for other help including possible uniform grants, which has similar criteria to apply.

Extra details

Some regions have already rolled out what is known as ‘universal free school meals’. Here, all children, up to a certain age, get a meal regardless of their parents’ income. If this is the case, your child’s school will have informed you. 

Parents and carers should apply for free school meals before the beginning of the new school year in September. We should also check whether we have to reapply each year.

Image: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock

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