All children attending school in Reception, Years 1 & 2 are entitled to free school meals. However, not all parents and carers know that for the school to receive government funds called a ‘pupil premium’, parents and carers who think they may be eligible still need to sign up.

Children in Years 3 to 6 have to pay for lunch, unless they are eligible for free school meals because their families receive certain benefits.

Children may be eligible if their family receives certain benefits, including:

• Universal credit, if your household income is under £7,400 per year after tax, and not including any other benefits
• Income support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Working Tax Credit run-on, paid for four weeks after you stop receiving WTC
• Child Tax Credit, providing you're not also entitled to WTC and have a household income of no more than £16,190 per year
• The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

If your child is eligible for free school meals, it's worth registering them even if they're not going to have the school lunch so that school receives the pupil premium which we can spend on useful services. The money makes a real difference to school and the eligible pupils.

If you think that you may be eligible for free school meals, please visit Lancashire County Councils website to apply:

https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/children-education-families/schools/free-school-meals/?page=3