Free School Meals

You can get free school meals if you are responsible for a child (for example, you receive Child Benefit for them) who is at school - including nursery children who attend full days at a school nursery and sixth form students - as long as you get one of these qualifying incomes:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Universal Credit (provided your household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax and not including any benefits you get)
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you are not 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

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they’re in on 31 March 2022.

If you have a query about free school meals you can email benefitsfsm@stockport.gov.uk.

All reception, year 1 and year 2 pupils are entitled to receive a free meal at lunchtime - HOWEVER still apply for Free School Meal if you are eligible. This is because schools receive a 'pupil premium' payment (up to £1,300) for each eligible child which they can spend on resources which will benefit your child's education.

How to apply

If you want to claim free school meals then you should complete the free school meals application form on the Stockport Council Website. You'll need your National Insurance number so have it ready before you start.

You should note that

• if your child attends a school in Stockport you must make your claim for free school meals with us
• free school meals are available if your child attends nursery for full days at a maintained school 
• schools cannot provide free meals to children until authorised by the council

Once the council have dealt with your claim they'll tell you and the school if your child is entitled to receive free school meals.

Click here to apply or check your eligibility.