Free school meals/Pupil Premium Application

We want to make sure that we provide your child/children with the best education and support we can. School

meals are healthy, tasty, social and fun. Research has shown that healthy school meals improve

children’s learning and productivity.

 

Children will be eligible free school meals if they, or their parent(s)/carer(s) receive one of the following benefits:

 

• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month)

• Child Tax Credit only (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual gross income of no more than 16,190.

Working Tax Credit is a disqualifying benefit regardless of your household income – this means that you

would not be entitled to free school meals whist in receipt of Working Tax Credit

• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for working Tax Credit)

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

• The guarantee element of Pension Credit

 

We check to see if your child qualifies for free school meals using the Department for Educations Eligibility Checking

Service (DfE ECS). If your child is entitled to free school meals, we will write to you and the school to let you know

when they start. If the result of the check cannot be determined, we will write to you to request proof of benefit.

Completed application forms can be scanned and emailed to: freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk

 

They can be returned to your child’s school or can be sent by post to:

 

ESAS & Free School Meals, Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield, EN1 3XA.

 

Important information – Before submitting your application, please note the following:

 

• Applications for free school meals must be made to the Local Authority where the school is located. If your

child attends a school that is NOT in the London Borough of Enfield, please apply to the Local Authority where the

school is situated.

 

• There is no provision to backdate free school meals. A child is only eligible for free school meals from the

date on which their eligibility is checked and confirmed by the Local Authority.​

 

Extra funding for your child’s school 

 

It is important to sign up for free school meals, so that your child’s school can claim as much funding as possible. Schools can claim additional funding from central government, known as the ‘Pupil Premium’ for every child whose parent or carer receive one of the benefits listed over the page. This additional money is used to ensure that children achieve academically and have full access to educational and cultural actives. However, it is for the school to decide how the money is spent. For more information, please ask at your child’s school.  

 

Since April 2015 all early years providers who deliver Government funded early education are able to claim the Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) for three and four year of children. If your child is eligible, the EYPP will provide your child’s school with extra funding to enhance the opportunities, experiences and the support offered to your child. We need information about you and your child to provide the best education and support by making sure we receive all the government funding to which the school and your child are entitled.