Eligibility for Free School Meals

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Free School Meals

We appreciate that in the current unprecedented circumstances it can be a struggle for some families to afford to provide a healthy and nutritious meal for their children.

We would like to take the opportunity to remind all parents that if you are in receipt of certain benefits, then your child may be eligible for a free school meal during term time.

The relevant benefits are as follows:

  • Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400
  • Income Support
  • Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance (IBJSA)
  • Income Related Employment & Support Allowance (IRESA)
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999.
  • The guarantee element of Pension Credit.
  • Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by HMRC. Please note, if you receive Working Tax Credit you do not qualify, even if you receive child tax credit and your income is below £16,190.
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Eligibility Forms

If you believe you may have an entitlement to free school meals, regardless of whether your child receives a meal under the Universal Infant Free School Meal Scheme (UIFSM), please complete the relevant form/forms for your child/children (see below) and return it to the school office. There is one form for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 and a separate form for children in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.

By completing the form you are authorising Nutfield Church School to contact Strictly Education 4S to check your entitlement via a secure government website.

In addition, if we receive confirmation from the authorities that you are eligible for free school meals, the Government will provide extra funding to the school. Under the current regulations the Government will pay us an additional £1,385 per year per child, from 1st April 2022 to benefit your child and all those children in your child’s class.

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