Free School Meals

One in five students in England are entitled to a free school meal. On average a family with 2 children spends over £600 per school year on school meals so it’s well worth checking out your entitlement.

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals if you receive any of the following benefits:

TARGETED FREE SCHOOL MEALS

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of £16,190 or less)
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
  • Universal Credit, where annual household earnings are £7,400 or less (after tax and excluding benefits)

EXPANDED SCHOOL MEALS

From September 2026, children in households receiving Universal Credit may also qualify for Expanded Free School Meals, even if annual household earnings are above £7,400. Children who get any of the qualifying benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, may also be eligible for free school meals. If you think your child may be eligible, please visit the Leicester City Council Free School Meals webpage or use the link below to apply online. You will need your National Insurance number when making your application.

https://www.leicester.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/grants-and-allowances/free-school-meals

If your application is successful, the school will be notified automatically. Even if your child does not wish to take the free school meal, we strongly encourage you to apply. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals helps determine additional funding that the school receives, which benefits all Judgemeadow students.

If you have any queries please contact: [email protected]