Free School Meals

There are two different types of free school meal entitlement.

• Reception to Year 2
• Year 3+

Please ensure you complete the correct application.

Eligibility
For children in must be in school all day and they will be provided with a meal at lunchtime that is paid for by the school.

It is the responsibility of the parent carers to register their entitlement and request free school meals for their children.

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
• Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they will remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary, secondary, 6th Form).

Infant free school meals
Your child will be able to get free school meals if they are in:

• reception class
• year 1
• year 2

We ask all parent carers to complete an Application Form for Universal Infant Free School Meals and Pupil Premium if you qualify for any of the benefits above. We will receive additional funding which we can then use to support teaching and learning.

Year 3+ free school meals
You can apply online on the Somerset County Council website or you can print out a copy of the Application Form for Free School Meals at School, fill it in and send your completed form into school, or send it to – Entitlements Team, County Hall, Taunton, TA1 4DY.

You do not need to send evidence with this application. If we need evidence later, we will ask you for it.

What happens next
Somerset County Council will check your eligibility, let you know and, if you are eligible, tell you how to start receiving free school meals – usually within 10 working days.

If your child is entitled to a free school meal, but requires a special medical diet, we can arrange for an appropriate meal to be provided. You must ask your doctor to write a letter explaining which foods must be avoided.