Primary school children

Universal free school meals for the 2024/2025 academic year for all primary school children regardless of income.

However, we still need you to apply for free school meals if you are receiving tax credits or benefits. This will allow your child’s school to claim important extra funding that will benefit your child.

Schools get extra funding, known as the ‘Pupil Premium’, for every child registered as eligible for a free school meal if their parents are receiving benefits. Schools use this money for activities such as art therapy, booster classes, educational trips, and after-school clubs.

Please note only children entitled to pupil premium funding are entitled to school holiday supermarket vouchers.

Parents of children attending school nursery, or a secondary school in Hackney will have to pay for school meals unless they are receiving qualifying benefits.

To qualify, your child must be in school and you must be receiving one of the following benefits:

• Income support
• Income based Job Seekers Allowance
• Income related Employment and Support Allowance
• NASS support
• Guarantee element of State Pension
• 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 for the four weeks after employment ends
• Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400