All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive a free school meal.
Schools get extra funding for every child registered as eligible for a free school meal if their parents receive benefits. So, if your child, is in Reception Year 1 or Year 2, and you are in receipt of benefit, we would appreciate you applying for a free school meal. This extra funding enables us to promote activities for the whole school, and at Brentfield we use this money for booster classes, educational trips and after school clubs. An application form can be obtained from the school office or you can download the form below.
The qualifying benefits are:
- Income Support (IS)
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), that does not exceed £16,190
- The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on-paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
Applying for free school meals
- downloading the application form (.pdf, 299.8kB) and return to Children’s Team, Brent Customer Services, PO Box 1057, Wembley, Middlesex HA9 1HJ
- contacting Brent Customer Services Team on 020 8937 3110 for a paper copy of the application form which they will post to you
- Or you can pick up an application form from the main office at Brentfield Primary School.
Working Tax Credit exception
If you receive Working Tax Credit your child may be entitled to free school meals:
- for no longer than four weeks from the date you became unemployed (or reduced your working hours to less than 16 per week) and started receiving Working Tax Credit.
In this case you will need to provide evidence of your benefit. You need to make sure this information shows the date you became unemployed, or the date you reduced your hours, because free school meals are only available to parents on Working Tax Credit run-on-paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
If you have been unemployed and receiving Working Tax Credit for longer than four weeks, then your child is not entitled to free school meals.
If your Working Tax Credit stops and you begin receiving a different benefit that is one of the qualifying criteria listed above, you will continue to be eligible after the four-week period.
If you increase your hours or begin working and continue to receive Working Tax Credit your free school meal entitlement will stop.
A three-year plan will replace the yearly strategy plan from Autumn 2021.
