FREE SCHOOL MEALS: Does Your Child Qualify?

Parents are being encouraged to find out if their child is entitled to free school meals. From 1 April 2011, schools will be given additional funding by the Government, called a pupil premium, for every child who applies for a free school meal. This money will be spent on helping pupils who are underachieving to reach their full potential. Under the new cashless card swipe system no one will know if the student is getting free school meals or not!

Pupils whose parent (or guardian) receives one or more of the following benefits are entitled to free school meals:

Income support
Income based job seekers allowance
Employment and
support allowance
Child tax credit, provided you don't also receive working
tax credit and have an annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue, that
does not exceed £16,190
Guarantee credit element of state pension credit;

Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

Children who receive income support or income based job seekers
allowance in their own right are also eligible.

Jonathan Lewis, assistant director for resources within children's services, said: "We are aware there are children who attend Peterborough schools who are entitled to free school meals but do not realise it. We are also aware that some parents choose not to take up the entitlement to a free school meal.

"The new pupil premium means that even if you don’t wish to access a free daily meal, applying will mean that your child's school will receive further funding."

Richard Lord, principal of Ken Stimpson Community School, said: "Currently around 11 per cent of our pupils receive free school meals but potentially there are twice as many pupils who are entitled but their parents or carers are unaware that they qualify or choose not to.

"Students who qualify for free school meals have £2.20 credited automatically to their cashless catering card each day. This represents a saving of £44 per child each month. It is impossible for other students to know which students have benefitted from free school meals and which have not as all schools now operate a cashless system."

To find out if your child is entitled to a free school meal please contact your local school who can check your eligibility with just a few simple details.


(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581