Free school meals are a valuable benefit for low-income families in the UK. They can help save money, provide nutritious food and improve children’s health and education outcomes. But are single parents entitled to free school meals for their children? The answer depends on several factors, such as where you live, what benefits you receive and how much income you have. This blog post will explain the eligibility criteria for free school meals in different parts of the UK and how to apply for them.
England
In England, children can get free school meals if they are in reception, year 1 or year 2 of primary school, regardless of their parents’ income. This is known as universal infant free school meals.
Older children can also get free school meals if their parents receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- 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)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- 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)
Children who receive any of these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
Children can also get free school meals if they are:
- Fostered under the Children Act 1989
- Adopted from care under the Adoption and Children Act 2002 or section 46 of the Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007
- Subject to a special guardianship order under section 14A of the Children Act 1989
- Subject to a child arrangements order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989
- Subject to a residence order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989
To apply for free school meals in England, you need to contact your local council. You can find their contact details on the gov.uk website. You may need to provide proof of your income or benefits.
Scotland
In Scotland, children can get free school meals if they are in primary 1, 2 or 3 of primary school, regardless of their parents’ income. This is known as universal free school meals.
Older children can also get free school meals if their parents receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Any income-related element of Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income less than £16,105
- Both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an annual income less than £7,330
Children who receive any of these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
Children can also get free school meals if they are:
- Looked after by a local authority
- Under a kinship care order
- Under a guardianship order
To apply for free school meals in Scotland, you need to contact your local council. You can find their contact details on the mygov.scot website. You may need to provide proof of your income or benefits.
Wales
In Wales, children can get free school meals if their parents receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income less than £16,190
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income less than £7,400
Children who receive any of these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
Children can also get free school meals if they are:
- Looked after by a local authority
- Under a special guardianship order
To apply for free school meals in Wales, you need to contact your local council. You can find their contact details on the gov.wales website. You may need to provide proof of your income or benefits.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, children can get free school meals if their parents receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) with an annual income less than £16,190
- Universal Credit with a net household income less than £14,000
Children who receive any of these benefits directly (instead of through a parent or guardian) can also get free school meals.
Children can also get free school meals if they are:
- Looked after by a Health and Social Care Trust
- Under a residence order
To apply for free school meals in Northern Ireland, you need to contact the Education Authority. You can find their contact details on the nidirect website. You may need to provide proof of your income or benefits.
Summary: Are single parents entitled to free school meals?
Free school meals are a valuable benefit for low-income families in the UK. They can help save money, provide nutritious food and improve children’s health and education outcomes. Single parents may be entitled to free school meals for their children, depending on where they live, what benefits they receive and how much income they have. To find out if you are eligible and how to apply, you need to contact your local council or education authority. We hope this blog post has answered your question and given you some useful information. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.
