Free School Meals Explained!

All Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to a Universal Free School Meal (often referred to as UFSM).

If you are in receipt of certain benefits you may be entitled to Free School Meals (FSM). The difference is that if you are entitled to FSM there are other means of support that you can tap into. Once you are in receipt of benefits related Free School Meals your child’s school will receive additional funding (Pupil Premium) to help and support you through your child’s education. The school will also receive extra support to deliver a fully inclusive and accessible education for all of our pupils.

You can apply for Free School Meals at any time while your child is at Marshlands.

For example:

If you apply and are entitled to Free School Meals in Year 1 the funding is there to support you for your child’s entire time at Marshlands. If you become eligible in Year 5 then the Pupil Premium funding goes with you to secondary school.

How can Pupil Premium funding help me?

Pupil Premium funding is used at the schools discretion to support children, each situation is assessed individually but examples of the support available are listed below:

• Support with payment for trips if receiving FSM

• Additional interventions in key learning areas

• Help with school uniform

• Support with Emotional Literacy or Draw and Talk Therapy

• Therapies additional to those listed in EHCPs

Who can get free school meals?

The general low income entitlement criteria is –

Income Support.
Income Based Job Seekers Allowance. Please note the ‘new style’ job seekers allowance is not a qualifying benefit, as this is based upon payment of National Insurance contributions and not the household income.
Income Related Employment and Support Allowance. Please note the ‘new style’ employment and support allowance is not a qualifying benefit, as this is based upon payment of National Insurance contributions and not the household income.
Eligible for Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and the household income (as used by HMRC to assess tax credits) is not more that £16,190. Please note: anyone eligible for Working Tax Credit, or if you have a partner and they receive it, regardless of Income, you will not qualify.
The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
In receipt of the 4 week run on of working tax credit (this is where someone becomes unemployed or reduces their hours and so is no longer entitled to working tax credit but will continue to receive it for a further 4 weeks and is entitled to free meals during that time).
Universal credit (provided you have an annual net earned household income of no more than £7,400 as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods). Your net earned income is your household income after taxes and deductions and does not include income from Universal Credit or any other benefits you may receive.

How do I apply?

Apply online – https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Educational-awards-benefits/FreeSchoolMeals/Apply-online.aspx

You can only apply online if you meet the low income criteria. Remember, you can only claim free school meals if your child is going to be in Reception year or above when the meals begin.

You can still get universal infant free school meals for reception, year 1 and 2 children if you do not meet the low-income criteria, but you need to contact your child’s school directly about this.

If the school you wish to apply for is not listed, please contact the school directly.

Please note: If you are looking to apply for a free school meal to start from September, please don’t apply before 1 June.

If your child is moving between schools and already receives free school meals you don’t need to reapply as your free school meal claim will automatically move to the new school.

If your child comes under and of the categories below you might also be entitled to Pupil Premium support:

Children of those employed in the Armed Services
Children adopted from care