Who is entitled to free school meals?
If you are on benefits, your child may be entitled to free school meals, which could save you £465 per year per child.
You are entitled to free school meals if you receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £16,190, provided they are not receiving Working Tax Credit
- the ‘Guaranteed’ element of the State Pension Credit
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Universal Credit, if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they will remain eligible until they finish the secondary phase of schooling.
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.
Please note: People receiving Working Tax Credit, regardless of their income level, do not qualify.
Free school meals at Guiseley School
Children having free school meals are treated just the same as any other child eating in our dining halls. There is an allowance of £2.50 to spend a day (2022-23 academic year rate) which provides a meal deal at lunchtime (main meal, dessert and a drink) or a main meal only at lunchtime and a snack (such as toast, a crumpet, hash browns, half a toasted tea cake) at breaktime. When your child passes by the till, the transaction is processed in the same way as for any other child so nobody knows if the meal is free or paid for via our cashless catering system. Please refer to our menus and price lists for further information.
If your child receives Free School Meals they will be in the Pupil Premium cohort. This means that they will also receive financial support for some school resources and uniform, where needed.
I think my child is eligible for free school meals, what should I do?
You can:
- call Leeds Welfare and Benefits Service on 0113 222 4404
- find information over at Leeds City Council’s How to claim free school meals page
Both Leeds and non-Leeds residents can obtain information from these services.