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Free School Meals

If you have children up to the age of 19 years in full-time education at a Hillingdon school, you may claim for free school meals if you receive a qualifying benefit.

You must be receiving one of the following benefits to claim free school meals:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income of £16,190 or less, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
• Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, their children are entitled to free school lunches. Children who receive a qualifying benefit in their own right are also eligible to receive Free School Meals

Local authorities do not set the qualifying criteria for free school meals and we are unable to waive them. Any change to the criteria is a matter for central, not local government.

If you have a child starting school for the first time, and already receive free school meals for other children, you will still need to complete a new application.

Apply online

You can apply online at https://myfreeschoolmeals.com  and get an immediate answer. If you are eligible, your child’s school will be notified within five working days.

For more information visit this website.

Apply in person at Queensmead

If you have any questions about applying for free school meals, please contact us on 020 8845 6266.

Changes to your benefit entitlement

Please contact the school immediately if your benefit changes or ends, as it may mean that you no longer qualify to claim free school meals. If it is found that you did not notify us that you were no longer entitled to claim free school meals, you will be invoiced for the cost of all school meals taken free to which your child(ren) were not entitled.

Other help

JobCentre Plus: 0345 608 8545 Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm

For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits