Benefits related free school meals

The holiday activities and food programme is only available to those children who have been award free school meals because of their parent's financial circumstance.

If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 they are automatically entitled to the universal free school meal offer.  Please note that this is not benefits related and is not part of the eligibility criteria for the holiday activities and food programme.

If you feel your child is eligible for benefits related free school meals and you have not made a free school meal application to the council, please make an application and wait for your response before registering for a programme place. 

Benefits related free school meal criteria

  • Income support
  • Income-based jobseeker's allowance
  • Income-related employment and support allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • 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)
  • The guarantee element of state pension credit
  • Working tax credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit.
  • Universal credit with annual net earned income of less than £7,400

Return to holiday activities and food programme information