Warning for parents of 470,000 children missing out on free school meals – can you claim help worth £490?
HUNDREDS of thousands of children are missing out on free school meals, new analysis has revealed.
Over 471,000 eligible children in England are not receiving them because their parents or carers have not applied, according to analysis of Government data by Policy in Practice.
It means those families are typically missing out on over £490 a year in support.
The free school meals programme supports around 1.75million school-age children by providing free lunches worth an average of £2.58 per day.
Eligibility for free school meals varies depending on where you live.
In England, all children in reception, year one and two can get free meals in school.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has been providing all primary school children in state-funded schools in Greater London free meals for the past academic year.
In Scotland, all students between reception and year five can get help regardless of their parent’s income.
In Wales, pupils in reception get free school meals.
By the end of 2024, the Welsh Government aims to have rolled out the scheme for all primary school pupils.
Whether you are eligible for free school meals after that depends on whether you get certain benefits and your income.
In all three countries, you qualify if you get certain benefits, regardless of income.
Here’s everything you need to know about the benefit.
Who is eligible for free school meals?
Children whose parents claim certain benefits are eligible to receive free school meals:
- 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
Children who receive free school meals during term time should also be entitled to vouchers during the school holidays too.
However, the level of support you can get depends on where you live, so check with your local council if you’re not sure.
APPLY FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS
YOU can apply for free school meals through your local authority's website.
To find your local council’s website visit www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.
Applying for free school meals in Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales is different, so visit Gov.UK to find out more.
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme.
Food vouchers may also be available through the Household Support Fund.
Find out more by contacting your local council.
Why are free school meals important?
It’s not just saving money that makes free school meals valuable – children’s attention span and performance at school is dependent on eating healthily, research has shown.
According to Policy in Practice, children who receive free school meals have reduced absences, improved concentration and attainment, better academic performance, improved diets, and healthier BMIs (Body Mass Index).
And when children are hungry, their blood sugar levels drop, which can make them more quick to anger, less tolerant and more emotional.
For working families with school-age children, the value of free school meals can be more than the cost of a school lunch.
This is because working parents on Universal Credit must pay for
their child’s lunch after their Universal Credit has been withdrawn at a rate of 55%.
This means that a parent on Universal Credit would need to earn at least £4.69 to cover the cost of the free school meal, doubling the economic impact of the campaign on working parents.
CHEAP PLACES TO EAT THIS SUMMER
A HOST of restaurants and cafes have offers where kids can eat for free or for as little as £1 over the summer holidays.
Whether it is a breakfast out or the promise of some lunch to break up the supermarket shop, there are several to choose from:
- Asda: Kids across England and Wales can eat for £1 at any time of the day in Asda cafes. Asda hasn’t introduced a minimum adult spend, meaning you don’t have to spend a certain amount to get the offer. The Kids Eat for £1 deal is available all day, every day from July 25 until September.
- Beefeater: Kids can eat breakfast for free at any Beefeater. Buying a £9.50 adult breakfast will allow you to get two free kids breakfasts.
- Bella Italia: Italian restaurant Bella Italia is giving away kids meals for £1 during the summer holidays. To redeem the offer, diners will have to buy one adult main between 4pm and 6pm, Monday to Thursday. Children up to the age of 11 can tuck into three courses for £1.
- Brewers Fayre: At Brewers Fayre 2 kids eat FREE with every adult purchasing a full breakfast.
- Dunelm: Kids eating at Pausa cafes at Dunelm can get a free mini-main, two snacks and a drink from June 27. Customers need to spend £4 in the cafe to get the deal.
- Hungry Horse: Customers at a Hungry Horse pub can get a free kid’s breakfast when they buy an adult breakfast for at least £3.49. The good news is, two children can eat for free with each breakfast that is purchased. Hungry Horse’s deal is available from 8am to noon from July 22 to September 4.
- Ikea: From July 11 to September 3, kids can get a meal from the children’s menu from between 95p and £1.50 at Ikea.
- Morrisons: A child under 16 can eat for free at Morrisons cafés when you buy an adult meal worth at least £4.99.
- Yo Sushi: Kids under ten can get a free meal from the children’s menu on Monday to Thursday between 3pm and 5.30pm. A child can eat for free for every £10 spent on food by an accompanying adult.
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