Around 471,000 children in England are not receiving free school meals, with parents missing out on nearly £500 in free support.
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A recent report from Policy in Practice shows a worrying trend: over 471,000 eligible children in England are not receiving free school meals.
On average, a school meal costs £2.58 per day, which adds up to over £490 a year per child.
This means that these families are missing out on more than £490 a year per child, which can make a massive difference, especially in these difficult economic times.
This cost can be a big burden for families, particularly those on low incomes.
And it’s simply because people didn’t realise they could apply for support. But now you know, so apply :)
Don’t miss out – how to apply for free school meals
Applying for free school meals is straightforward and can be done through your local authority’s website.
Search online for your local council website and find the application form.
The Gov.uk site can take you directly to the right page if you don’t want to be Googling.
There will be an eligibility check as free school meals are usually available to families receiving certain benefits such as income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, child tax credit, and universal credit.
Hit send and submit your application. Bosh! That’s it!
This is the process for England, and it’s slightly different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Who is eligible?
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)
This is different for the funded infant free school meals for reception, year 1 and year 2 kids. However, if you are eligible for free school meals, you can still let your local authority know when they’re younger so the school gets the extra funding.
Why are families missing out?
There are several reasons why families might not be applying for free school meals:
- Lack of awareness: Many parents may simply be unaware that their children are eligible for free school meals (but now you know, so apply).
- Stigma: There is often a stigma associated with claiming benefits, which can deter parents from applying (but there’s no shame here, get the money you’re entitled to).
- Complex application process: Some people think the application process can be confusing and time-consuming, putting off families from completing it (but it’s really not too difficult, and if you do struggle, Citizens Advice could help or why not come and ask in the Skint Dad Community Group).
And that’s not all, folks!
Policy in Practice’s latest report, “Missing Out 2024,” shows that free school meals are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are billions in unclaimed benefits each year – £22.7 billion unclaimed!
That’s a lot of money to go around!
More than eight million people could be missing out on an average of £2,700 per year in benefits, including:
- HMRC/DWP benefits: Universal Credit, Carer’s Allowance, Child Benefit
- Locally administered benefits: council tax support, Healthy Start Vouchers
- Social tariffs: water, broadband social tariffs, free TV licences
Free school meals are vital support for many families. They ensure that children have access to nutritious meals that can help their learning and health.
You can check and apply through your local council’s website to start getting this support.
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Thara says
Heya.
In order to save money I always had to take a packed lunch to school. For example if it was too hot I had a salad. If it was very cold I was told to take a lunch that could be safely reheated like Chinese rice or lasagna too etc. I had a lunch box as well in any case to eat here. During the hot summer months I had only a mini salad or sandwiches. Good luck. I can say that it definitely helped us improve our thinking skills. I had to help her to make a salad.
And I always took a free water bottle. Sometimes I had mini burgers, pizza or hotdogs at school in question. I also had wraps and baked potatoes from time to time. Occasionally I had a hot panini or toasties during the winter. I also had things like muffins and cakes. Once or twice a term I had some brownies. My mom kept a list of ideas for our packed lunches that were healthy at home.
Sometimes there was a mini bread or sausage roll. It was either wrapped in foil or put in a tin. We also had half of a corn on the cob. Plus treats like jam. We had spoons and forks. Salads are easy to make in addition. Scrambled eggs on toast anyone. Sausages can be eaten hot or cold.