Schools meals and milk or drinks 

Contact Pupil Benefits 

Eligibility

My child(ren):

• Is aged 16 or under
• Attends a Nottingham city school

If you, the parent or carer, receive at least one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• the guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, but NOT entitled to Working Tax Credit and you have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs¹
• Support under of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 section 95
• Universal Credit (income thresholds apply)

¹ Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit Run-on - the payment someone receives for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit - their children are entitled to free school lunches. Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.

You may also be eligible if your child(ren):

• is/are 19 or under
• attends the sixth form at a Nottingham City LEA maintained school, full-time

If you are still unsure if you are eligible please contact the Pupil Benefits Team who will be happy to help you and answer your questions.

Apply 

If you consider that you are eligible for Free School Meals and/or Free School Milk  please do the following:

1. Download an application form as soon as you can.

2. Once the application form is completed you can send it to us using any of the following options. You can:

• ask at your child(ren)’s school/academy to email it to us on your behalf
• email it to us at 

Open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:50 pm

Thursday 9:30 am to 4:50 pm 

Pupil Benefits contact information 

City Academy

If your child attends Bluecoat Academy, The Nottingham Emmanual C of E School, Portland Spencer Academy, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, St Patricks Vol Academy or Djanogly City Academy please apply directly to the relevant Academy. This list is not exhaustive and may change in the future. For other academies contact Pupil Benefits

Evidence

The best way to make sure you start making savings sooner is to provide us with the evidence we need.

For example:

• A letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or Jobcentre Plus confirming your current benefits and dated within the last 6 weeks
• Child Tax Credit award letter (TC602(A)) for the current tax year
• Take the completed application form to your Jobcentre Plus or DWP office and ask them to stamp the form to confirm which benefits you receive
• Proof of asylum status, such as your Home Office paperwork showing your NASS number

You will need to let us know about any changes to your circumstances as soon as possible.

These could be:

• A change to your permanent address
• You stop receiving the benefits listed above which make you eligible for free school meals
• You start to receive Working Tax Credit or your annual income exceeds £16,190

This list is not exhaustive please contact the Pupil Benefits Team for further advice.

The quickest way you can let us know your circumstances have changed is to email

Changes to your circumstances may mean that you are no longer entitled to claim a free school meal for your child(ren) and you could be charged for them. So, please let us know about any changes as soon as possible.

Free School Meals for all Key Stage 1 pupils

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 at state-funded schools in England will be eligible for free school meals, as part of the national Universal Free Infant School Meals Scheme. Visit our Free School Meals page for more details.

It is important, however, that all parents who receive one of the benefits listed above still register for free school meals as this will enable your child's school to claim "pupil premium allocation". The pupil premium is additional funding given to publicly funded schools in England to raise attainment. This additional funding for schools can help to buy new equipment and resources.

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