FREE school meals are essential for many hard-up households – we explain how much you help you can get.
The cost of living crisis is forcing many families to the brink so it's important to extra help you're entitled to such as free food vouchers.
Free school meals were first made available in the 1940s, and today it is estimated that one in five pupils qualify for them.
Pupils in England can get free school meals during term time up to the end of Year Two. However, older pupils are only eligible if their parents receive certain benefits.
Families on Universal Credit can only get free school meals if their annual income is less than £7,400, not including benefits.
Help was ramped up during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, and footballer Marcus Rashford campaigned for the funding to remain after the pandemic.
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When are the free school meal payment dates for 2022?
For those receiving the grant as cash, the second payment for the summer holiday food grant payment will be put into bank accounts August 8.
There is no information on the Education Authority's website about how or when vouchers will be received.
There is no information currently available for the payment of free school meals.
However, the education authorities website does list these key dates:
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- June 2022: Online application process for 2022/2023 opens.
- June 2022 – July 31, 2022: Apply in the above period with correct documentation to ensure your application can be processed before the start of the new school year. Applications received after this period won't be processed in time for 1st September.
- August 2022: Processing of all applications prior to 31 July & late applications from 1 August onwards.
How to apply for free school meals
Children who are eligible for a free school meal and whose parents claim benefits can apply. The benefits included are:
- Income support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act in 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you're not 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 until you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
The Education Authority's website has an online application process.
There is a check list to ensure your eligibility, the list of document's you'll need and anything else you may require.
You're required to create an account before applying.
The application must be submitted by the recipient of the benefits and is named on the Proof of Benefit letter, Tax Credits Awards noticeor Universal Credits Payments breakdown.
You'll have to include in your application all of the children who you want to receive a meal and have parental responsibility over.
What help can I get in the school holidays?
Families can get help during the holidays too – vouchers can be claimed in supermarkets, and are the equivalent value to the meal your child receives at school.
Usually parents can claim up to £90 per child during the summer break, but the amount varies depending on where you live.
Each local council decides what funding to make available through the holidays, using cash they have received from the Government's Household Support Fund.
If your child receives free school meals then they should be eligible. However, check with your local council as this can differ between areas.
The vouchers can be redeemed in these supermarkets:
- Tesco
- Sainsbury's
- Morrisons
- Asda
- Waitrose
- Marks & Spencer
- Aldi
It's also worth checking with the school to see if any supermarkets won't accept them.
There may be other ways to save money for school this year. Lidl have launched its own bargain school uniform.
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These are the best places to buy your school uniform to ensure they last all year round.
You can also purchase a full school uniform from Aldi for just £5.
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