Free school meals and extra support for your child
You could save up to £500 a year if your child gets free school meals and it will mean they get a healthy school lunch every day. All children in primary school, from reception to Year 6 are also entitled to free school meals.
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Who can get free school meals
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)
No recourse to public funds (NRPF) parents
Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, some children of groups who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) are eligible for free school meals:
If you're not on benefits
If your income is below £16,190 and you are not on any benefits your family will not be eligible.
If one parent earns above £16,190
If one partner or spouse in the household gets benefits and the other gets an annual income above £16,190, as assessed by HMRC, your family will not be eligible for free school meals.
If you get working tax credits
If you get working tax credit regardless of your annual household income your family will not be eligible for free school meals.
How to apply for free school meals
You do not need to reapply each year but if your child changes school, you will need to tell us.
Application for NRPF parents
Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, some children of groups who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF) are eligible for free school meals.
To apply, first download the application form below and fill it out.
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Then, use the link below to submit your application using the online evidence form.
Contact the school directly if your child attends one of the following academies
- St James Hatcham CE Primary School
- St Stephen's CE Primary School
- Haberdashers’ Hatcham Temple Grove Free School Now Hatcham Free School
- Haberdashers' Knights Temple Grove School Now Knights Primary
- Haberdashers' Hatcham Primary School
- Turnham Academy
- Tidemill Academy
- Childeric Primary School
- St George’s Church of England Primary School
- Sedgehill Academy
- Haberdashers' Hatcham College
Other support your child will get
Free school meals are part of something called ‘pupil premium’. As well as providing free school meals, pupil premium provides extra funding of up to £1,515 to your child's school. The school can then use this funding to support your child’s education through extra tuition, teaching staff or after-school activities.
Questions
Ask us a question about free school meals or your application: