Automatic award for free school meals for the academic year 2023/24

We think free school meals and other benefits may be available for your child at school.  

To identify you, we have processed your personal data legally and in accordance with data protection laws by getting your details from our benefits and pupil records.  

What does a free school meal award mean?

A free school meal award means your child can get:

• healthy hot meals every school day 
• access to free holiday clubs and meals during the school holidays 
• £15 per week food voucher per child during the school holidays (for school year 2023/24)

What do I do next?

You do not need to do anything.  We will apply for you and if successful we will submit the information to your school. 

Don’t all primary children get free school meals anyway? 

If your child is in primary school they will get free school meals already, but we still need to apply for you so that the school gets extra money.  This includes something called Pupil Premium, which means that schools receive £1,480 per year for every primary child and £1,050 for every secondary child who has a free school meal award. Pupil Premium funding can be used to pay for things like books, equipment, extra teaching staff and school trips. 

I do not want you to apply

If you don’t want us to use your information in this way, please let us know by emailing your full name before Tuesday 30 January. If we do not hear from you we will apply for your child. 

If you tell us you do not want us to apply, your child will miss out on the direct benefits mentioned in this letter and your school will receive less money. 

I want my school to receive more money, but I don’t need free school meals for my child

If your application is successful, it does not mean your child has to take-up a free school meal, but it could save you approx. £500 per year in lunch costs if they do so.

Will everyone know my child gets free school meals? 

Schools are there to help you as a family and will not identify your child to others if you claim free meals for them – your child would not be treated any differently to any other child in school.  

How can I check for myself if my child can get free school meals?

If you wish to check your own entitlement for free school meals at any time you can use the Free School Meal Eligibility Checker.