Does my child qualify for free school meals?
If you have children up to the age of 19 years in full-time education at a Hillingdon school, they may be eligible for free school meals.
Infant free school meals
Your child will be able to get free school meals if they are in a government-funded school and in:
- reception class
- year 1
- year 2.
Year 3 up to 19 years old in a Hillingdon school
You must be receiving 1 of the following benefits to claim free school meals:
- 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 Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
- 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 receive).
Children who get paid these benefits directly (instead of through a parent/guardian) can also receive free school meals.
Your child may also get free school meals if you receive any of these benefits and your child is both:
- younger than the compulsory age for starting school and
- in full-time education.
Please note:
- If your child is eligible for free school meals, they will remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they are in.
- Hillingdon Council does not set the qualifying criteria for free school meals and we are unable to waive them. Any change to the criteria is a matter for central (not local) government.
- If you have a child starting school for the first time and already receive free school meals for other children, you will still need to complete a new application.
- All enquiries about free school meals should be directed to your child's school.