Is your child eligible for Free School Meals?

Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you (or the child themselves in their own right) is in receipt of any of the following benefits.

• Income Support (IS)
• Job Seekers' Allowance (Income-Based) and equal based Job Seekers Allowance.
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA-IR) and equal based Employment and Support Allowance.
• Child Tax Credit (CTC) with an Annual income of less than £16,190.
• Guarantee Element of Pension Credit (GPC)
• Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (IAA) Support
• Universal Credit

Please note that anyone claiming Working Tax Credit, Contribution-Based Job Seeker's Allowance and/or Contribution-Based Employment and Support Allowance is NOT eligible for free school meals, regardless of what other benefits/credits are being claimed. However, you will be temporarily eligible to claim free school meals if you receive a Working Tax Credit run-on, which is the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)

Since 1 September 2014, all Key Stage 1 (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) pupils have been entitled to receive a free school meal as part of the Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM) initiative, regardless of what benefits are being claimed.

However, if you are in receipt of the benefits listed above which would entitle your child to free school meals anyway, your school may be entitled to claim Pupil Premium funding to support your child’s education, just by you completing an application form.

When you apply we will check your eligibility for free school meals (or Pupil Premium for KS1 pupils) by checking against those held by HM Revenue and Customs, The Home Office and the Department of Work and Pensions.

Apply for Free School Meals

You can apply for free school meals (or Pupil Premium for KS1 pupils) online: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/school-meals/application-for-free-school-meals-and-pupil-premium/

Please note applying online is the quickest way for the application to be processed.

Applications will be processed within three working days of receipt, and you will be notified of the outcome in writing. Please note that we are unable to backdate any claim.

If you are successful in your application, your child’s eligibility to receive free school meals will commence immediately and will continue until the end of their school life or until you cease to be eligible – whichever is first. There is no longer a need for claims to be renewed annually. As the eligibility criteria for free school meals is determined by Central Government, not Local Government; as such, there is no appeal process for free school meals.