Click on the file below to see this term's lunch menu.

Please click on the link below for the most up to date guidance on Free School Meals.

Who can apply for Free School Meals?

Free school meals are available to pupils in receipt of, or whose parents are in receipt of,
one or more of the following benefits:
• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• 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 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

In addition, the following pupils will be protected against losing their free school meals as
follows:
• From 1 April 2018, all existing free school meals claimants will continue to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This will apply even if their earnings rise above the new threshold during that time.
• In addition, any child gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals during the Universal Credit rollout period.
• Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

The Universal Credit rollout is currently expected to complete in March 2022.

A pupil is only eligible to receive a free school meal when a claim for the meal has been
made on their behalf, and their eligibility has been verified by the school where they are
enrolled or by the local authority.

What is Pupil Premium?

Pupil Premium is extra money paid direct to schools for each child who is eligible for Free School Meals. It is used to support your child's education. Please apply for free schools meals if you are eligible so that St Wulstan's gets this money.

Who qualifies for Universal Infant Free School Meals?

From September 2014 the government are introducing Universal Infant Free School Meals for all pupils in Reception, Years 1 and 2. In order to recognise who is eligible for universal meals and who qualifies for free school meals for funding purposes, we would encourage all parents to register by completing an application form even if the child does not wish to receive a meal.

How do I apply for free school meals and / or universal free school meals?

If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, information can be obtained from the school office.

If your child is in Year 3 or above, you can complete an online Free School Meals Application Form.

What happens after I have completed my application?

What happens if my circumstances change?

Your child/ren will continue to receive Free School Meals until the end of the Universal Credit rollout period currently scheduled to end in March 2022.

This will apply even if your earnings rise above the new threshold or if you stop being entitled to Universal Credit.

Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, your child will keep their free school meal until the end of their current phase of education for example primary or secondary school.

What do I do to maintain my claim for free school meals?

Your claim for Free School Meals will be reviewed on a regular basis. An online Free School Meals eligibility checking system provided by the Department for Education to confirm your entitlement is used.

Please note the online checking system only confirms or denies your eligibility to claim Free School Meals: it does not give us any other information. If we cannot confirm your entitlement through this process we will contact you to ask you to provide up-to-date evidence of the benefit you receive.

Will I need to re-apply if my child changes school?

Free meal entitlement will automatically follow your child to the next stage of their education (i.e., in September) and the new school will be advised of this.

The Free School Meals Team will need to be advised if your child transfers to another school at any other time or for any other reason.