Who can receive free school meals
Every child in primary school receives free school meals funded by the Mayor of London. Eligible children in secondary schools can receive free school meals too – but they must be signed up to the scheme.
In Camden, we also provide every child who is eligible and signed up to the free school meals scheme with extra support with food worth £500 a year – including:
- free breakfast clubs
- food vouchers in the holidays
If you receive one of the benefits listed below – including Universal Credit – your child is eligible for all of this support, so please sign them up today.
Read this information in Easy Read format.
You can apply for free school meals in 4 ways:
1. Apply for free school meals by completing this online form
2. Download, complete and post a free school meals application form
3. Call us on 020 7974 4444 or 020 7974 5771 (Tuesday to Thursday, 9am to 3pm – during term time)
4. If your child goes to Maria Fidelis School, apply directly to the school
It takes 10 minutes to complete the form and you’ll need to have your National Insurance number or your National Asylum Seeker Service number ready. We’ll respond to your application within 10 working days.
If your child has dietary needs or allergies, they will be catered for
- Ask your child’s school how to let the catering company know – e.g. you may need to fill out a form.
- If your child requires Halal or Kosher food, please speak to your child’s school about this directly.
- If your child is vegetarian or vegan, you don’t need to do anything – every catering company provides these options as standard.
If you receive one of the following benefits, your child is eligible for free school meals:
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Universal Credit – your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including benefits)
- Child Tax Credit with a taxable income of no more than £16,190 and not in receipt of Working Tax Credit
- The Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
- Support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)
If you receive Working Tax Credit you will not be entitled to free school meals unless you have:
- Stopped work in the last 4 weeks; or
- Reduced your hours to less than 16 hours in the last 4 weeks
Applications must be made in the name of the person who is receiving the benefit.
You only need to apply once. Any child eligible for free school meals from 1 April 2018 will keep their free school meals eligibility until 31 March 2025, even if your circumstances change.
Moving schools
- If your child moves to a new school in Camden, and is eligible for free school meals, you should contact us and give details of the new school.
- If your child moves to a school outside Camden, you should contact the new school or the new local authority and ask how to apply for free school meals.