Free School Meals

Currently under the government's Universal Infant Free School Meals all children in state funding schools in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a free school meal. 

In addition to this you can apply for free school meals if your child attends a local authority maintained school and you receive one of the following regardless of which year group they are in: 

• Income Support (IS)

• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)

• An income-related employment and support allowance

• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that does not exceed the current year’s level

• the Guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

• Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finished, or after you start to work less than 16 hours per week.

• Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month) )

Additionally:

• You, as the parent or guardian, must Receive Child Benefit for the child you are responsible for.

• Children who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.

• Children who receive “education suitable for children who have not attained compulsory school age” will still need to satisfy the additional requirement of “receiving education both before and after the lunch period”, before being eligible to receive free school meals. 

• There are also cases where the parent/guardian whose children may be eligible for free school meals is not on Housing Benefit/Council Tax Reduction, i.e. where they are not the householder.  This is generally the case where the pupils’ parent/guardian lives in another household.

To apply for this please follow the link below and complete the application. If your application is successful you and school will be notified and your child will be added to the Free School register and receive a Free School Meal. 

https://www.oldham.gov.uk/forms/form/525/en/free_school_meals_fsm_application_form