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Alma Primary

Free School Meals

From September 2014 all children who are in reception, year 1 or year 2 have been offered a free healthy school lunch.  This is called Universal Free School Meals (UFSM).  However, children in other school years will also be offered a free school lunch if their parent is receiving certain welfare benefits, as outlined below.  This is called Free School Meals (FSM).

In addition, families registering for free school meals, from ALL year groups, could raise an extra £1,300 for the school to fund valuable support, in addition to meals, like extra tuition, additional teaching staff or after school activities for relevant children.  

This additional money is available from central government for every child whose parent is receiving one of the welfare benefits, as listed below, and it is important to sign up for FSM, even if your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, so that we receive as much funding as possible.

If you think you might be eligible please email Jodi Rickless, jrickless@almaprimary.org, in confidence, with the eligible parent's name, DOB and NI number which will then be checked with the Local Authority through their confidential FSM checking service.   All checks will be done in the strictest confidence.  Once checks have taken place parents will be informed whether they are eligible or not.

Eligibility for Free School Meals (FSM)

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

  • 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 gross income of no more than £16,190)
  • 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 get)

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

Your child may also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:

 

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