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Free school meals

 
Free meals are available to children attending publicly-maintained schools in the borough of Greenwich, if parent(s) get one of the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • an income-related employment and support allowance
  • support under part 6 of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999.
  • Child Tax Credit (provided you do not receive Working Tax Credit) and your annual income does not exceed £16,040)
  • The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.

How to apply

You will need to complete a pupil benefits application form which can be downloaded from the How to apply section.

You will also need to submit proof of the benefit you receive as well as proof that you are receiving child benefit for the child/children for whom you are claiming free school meals.

Further Information

Fully completed application forms will normally be processed within 10 working days. However, if the necessary evidence is not included with your application, this will delay the processing of your form and it will be returned to you and no Free School Meal award will be made.

You must inform the Pupil Finance Team immediately if you:

  • change address
  • stop receiving any of the qualifying support payment/benefits
  • change any other circumstance that might affect entitlement to Free School Meals.
If your child/children receive Free School Meals that they are not entitled to, you may be liable to pay for all meals that they have had. 

If you have any queries regarding these guidelines please contact the Pupil Finance Team using the contact details to the right.

On a termly basis the information that you provide for Free School Meals will be shared with other sources, as allowed by law, to verify your entitlement

Applicants are advised that it is a criminal offence knowingly to make an untrue statement or other false representation to obtain a grant, contribution or other financial benefit from the Council.

The Council may use the information you have provided within the authority for the prevention and detection of fraud.

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