Free school meals and extra support for your child
You could save up to £500 a year if your child gets free school meals and it will mean they get a healthy school lunch every day.
All children in primary school, from reception to Year 2 receive Universal Infant free school meals and the Mayor of London has committed to funding free school meals for all children in primary school from Reception to Year 6 until summer 2028.
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Who can get free school meals
Primary school children
If you receive benefits or tax credits, you should still apply for free school meals. This helps your child’s school receive additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, to support pupils' learning and wellbeing.
Children from households receiving Universal Credit with an annual earned income of £7,400 or less may be eligible for the pupil premium and other additional funding for their school.
Schools can use this funding to provide support such as:
- targeted learning support and booster classes
- educational visits and activities
- after-school clubs
- wellbeing and pastoral support
Nursery and secondary school children
Children attending a nursery school or secondary school may be eligible for free school meals if their parent or carer receives a qualifying benefit.
To be eligible, you must:
- have a child attending a maintained nursery class or secondary school
- submit an application for free school meals
- receive a qualifying benefit
Qualifying benefits include:
- Universal Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- support provided under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (NASS support)
- the Guarantee Credit element of State Pension
A young person aged 16 or over who receives one of these qualifying benefits is also eligible for free school meals.
No recourse to public funds (NRPF) parents
Eligibility for free school meals has been permanently extended to children in all households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), provided their household income is below the relevant threshold.
How to apply for free school meals
You do not need to reapply each year but if your child changes school, you will need to tell us.
Application for NRPF parents
To apply, first download the application form below and fill it out.
Word, 38.8KB
Then, use the link below to submit your application using the online evidence form.
Contact the school directly if your child attends one of the following academies
- St James Hatcham CE Primary School
- Haberdashers’ Hatcham Temple Grove Free School Now Hatcham Free School
- Haberdashers' Knights Temple Grove School Now Knights Primary
- Haberdashers' Hatcham Primary School
- Turnham Academy
- Tidemill Academy
- Childeric Primary School
- St George’s Church of England Primary School
- Sedgehill Academy
- Haberdashers' Hatcham College
Other support your child will get
Targeted free school meals are part of something called ‘pupil premium’. As well as providing free school meals, pupil premium provides extra funding of up to £1,550 to your child's school. The school can then use this funding to support your child’s education through extra tuition, teaching staff or after-school activities.
Questions
Ask us a question about free school meals or your application: