How to claim free school meal vouchers in the UK
STRUGGLING parents may be entitled to free school meals to help feed kids during term-time – here’s what you need to know.
Children of all ages living in UK households on income-related benefits, including income support, jobseeker’s allowance, and employment and support allowance, may be eligible for free school meals.
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Currently, these meals are only available during term-time but a high profile campaign by Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford has been calling for the help to be extended to the holidays too.
Mr Rashford’s plea was met over the summer this year, with the government providing a one-off six-week voucher to help low income families who may also have taken a financial hit due to coronavirus.
Earlier this month, however, MPs voted against extending the support for the October half-term, Christmas holidays, February 2021 half-term, and the 2021 Easter holidays.
But it is thought the government is poised to U-turn on this.
According to campaign group Food Foundation, around 200,000 UK kids have skipped meals during lockdown because they didn’t have enough food.
Below we round-up who is entitled to the help and how to get it. Some local authorities and businesses have also launched their own separate schemes off the back of campaign calls, which we outline below.
Which children are eligible for free school meals?
Eligibility for free school meals varies slightly between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland because the nations set their own rules.
But you may be able to claim free school meals for your child if you, or your child, get any of the following benefits:
- 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 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 – if you applied on or after April 1, 2018 your household income is less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
If you qualify, kids get the support from nursery age through to sixth form.
Separately, in England all pupils in reception and year’s one and two, regardless of income, can get free school meals during term time in state schools.
In Scotland, children in primary, year’s one, two and three can claim free school meals regardless of family income.
How can I apply for free school meal vouchers?
Use the relevant government tools online – in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales – to check if you can get free school meals.
If you can, in England, Scotland, and Wales you’ll be directed to your local council’s website where it will tell you how to apply. This could be via your local authority or directly via your child’s school.
In Northern Ireland, you apply via the Education Authority.
It’s worth pointing out that if you claim housing benefit or council tax support you can apply for free school meals when you are filling out your forms.
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Can I get help during the school holidays too?
As outlined above, free school meal vouchers were only extended during the 2020 summer holidays and further extensions for future holidays have so far been rejected.
But some local authorities, as well as big and small businesses are offering their own schemes to help children during the current October half-term.
Birmingham City Council, for example, says it will provide 61,000 children with vouchers, while London’s Southwark Council is providing meals for all kids currently on the term-time scheme.
Contact your local authority to ask if extra help is available and how to apply if so.
It’s likely you’ll be provided with a voucher to spend at certain supermarkets given school catering facilities are unlikely to be open during the holidays.
Meanwhile, Co-op is giving a £20 voucher to 5,000 pupils across its 25 academies to help cover the cost of October half-term and Morrisons is giving 15,000 packed lunches to food banks every day of this week. Packs are paid for by Morrisons’ shoppers in store and cost between £1 and £5.
You normally need a referral from a charity, doctor or support worker to access a food bank. Visit Citizens Advice for more information on this; the charity itself can also provide referrals.
One person has also pulled together this handy map showing an army of cafes, pubs and restaurants helping to keep vulnerable kids fed during half-term – check what’s available in your local area.