Overview
All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 get a free meal at lunchtime, under the government's Infant Free School Meals scheme. These are provided at all Bury Council maintained schools, academies, free schools, and pupil referral centres. You do not have to apply for these.
From year 3 onwards free school meals are only available if you meet set critieria.
Details
- Available In
- Bury
- Available to Age Groups
- No Restriction
- What we can help with
- Help with food and other essentials
- Information on government/council support schemes
- Available to these Groups
- Young Families
Additional Information
From year 3 onwards free school meals are only available if you get one of the following:
- Universal Credit - and your earned income is less than £7,400 a year, after tax and not including any benefits
- Income Support
- income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- income-related Employment Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, providing you are do not get Working Tax Credit, and your annual gross income is less than £16,190
- guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
If you get Working Tax Credits you will not be eligible unless you are receiving the four week 'run on' payment after stopping work.
Free school meals are available for pupils at local authority maintained primary and secondary schools, including academies. They are not available for children at private or independent schools.
They are also available for eligible households with:
- children at local authority maintained nurseries, providing they receive education before and after lunch
- students aged between 16 and 19 who go to Elms Bank Specialist Arts College sixth form
- students who receive Income Support or Income-based Jobseekers Allowance in their own right