Free School Meals

PLEASE APPLY TO BENEFIT YOU, YOUR CHILD
AND YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL
For more Information contact the Free School Meals Team at Northumberland County Council:
Telephone: 01670 623592 or Email: childrensservices@northumberland.gov.uk
If you are in receipt of one of the following benefits:
Child Tax Credit with NO Working Tax Credit (Income below £16,190)
Income Support
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
Guaranteed Element of State Pension Credit
The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Benefits of registering for free school meals
Although your child will be entitled to receive Universal Free School Meals through a government funded scheme where all infant age pupils are entitled to a hot school meal free of charge regardless of individual financial circumstances. It is still essential that if you are entitled to income related free school meals you apply as greater benefits will be received for your child, your child’s school and yourself.
The approval of a FSM application would entitle a child to:-
 Help with music tuition and instruments - Parents can claim a refund of £3.00 per session from the costs when 7 of the 10 classes have be attended by the student. The child's school will make the appropriate arrangements for this service.
 Help with curriculum related residential trips or school visits - The child's school will make the appropriate arrangements for this service.
The above are not included in the governments free meals to children up to Year 2. To access these benefits families must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit and must have an approved Free School Meal claim with Northumberland County Council.
As long as family circumstances don’t change the claim will already be set up for children entering Year 3.
The school will receive extra funding, which will benefit all children.