Free School meals

Children who attend a Somerset school, whose parents or carers receive certain benefits, may be entitled to free school meals.

Children eligible for free school meals must be in school all day. They will be provided with a meal at lunchtime which is paid for by the school.

Parents or carers are responsible for registering their entitlement and requesting free school meals for their children.

Parents and carers who receive any of the following are entitled to free school meals:

  • Income Support (IS)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related)
  • Universal Credit with an annual household income of less than £7400 after tax
  • Income-based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA)
  • Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Child Tax Credit provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit, with an annual taxable income (as assessed by HMRC) of less than £16,190

 

Only the benefits listed above qualify for free school meals. If you have recently become unemployed, but are still receiving Working Tax Credits, you may be entitled to free school meals. Please phone us on 0300 123 2224 for advice.

 

If you meet the criteria listed above, please complete the application form online.

Other Eligibility Criteria

Children of families who don’t receive these benefits may also qualify for free school meals if the family’s annual household income is:

  • no more than £22,700 for families outside of London with one child
  • no more than £26,300 for families outside of London with two or more children.

Also, families must hold no more than £16,000 in capital and savings.

And the parent or carer meets any of these criteria:

  • you are a Zambrano or Chen carer
  • families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
  • families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
  • a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • you hold a British National (Overseas) – BN(O) – passport
  • you are a spousal visa, work visa or student visa holder
  • you have no immigration status.

If this applies to you, please complete the Free School Meals to Families with No Recourse to Public Funds form (PDF) and return it with the appropriate evidence to fsm@somerset.gov.uk.

 

  • Free school meals entitlement is for the child, not the family, so you will need to apply for each child when they start school.

 

  • If your child was eligible to free school meals in another council area, and now due to start at Hamp Academy. You will need to reapply.

 

How to Apply

 

To apply for Free School Meals and to see if you are eligible, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

 

Enter your postcode, this will take you to Somerset County Council website.

 

Click on the Apply Now button at the bottom of the page.

Somerset County Council will check your eligibility and let you know the outcome of your application, usually within 10 working days.

 

If your child is starting in September, you should apply during the summer holidays. Applying too early could result in your application being removed.

 

Any problems contact Somerset County Council on 0300 123 2224

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm