Free school meals over the summer holidays - full eligibility criteria explained
Parents may be entitled to free school meals for their children over the summer holidays.
The summer break typically lasts six weeks. If your child gets free school meals in term time, they may well qualify for the help during the summer as well. It all depends on which part of the UK you live in. If you’re in England and your child goes to a state school, they’ll get free school meals if they’re in reception class, year 1 or year 2.
In Scotland, all state school children from primary one to primary five get free school meals. If you’re in Wales, all reception pupils in state schools get free school meals - this is being extended to all year 1 and 2 pupils by the end of the year, then to all primary school students by the end of 2024.
The rules are different again in Northern Ireland, where free school meals are not given automatically - instead all parents claiming benefits have to apply.
If your child is older than the age groups we've mentioned above, or you live in Northern Ireland, you need to be claiming one of the following benefits to claim free school meals:
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Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Pension Credit “Guaranteed Element”
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit “run-on” (the payment someone may receive for a four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
Universal Credit
The earnings threshold for Universal Credit is £7,400 a year after tax and not including your benefits in England and Wales, £726 a month in Scotland and £14,000 a year in Northern Ireland.
If you're claiming Child Tax Credit in England and Wales, you need to not be entitled to Working Tax Credit and your annual income must not exceed £16,190.
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In Scotland, you can get free school meals if you receive Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and your income is under £8,717. If you receive Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit your income should be under £18,725.
You can claim Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit in Northern Ireland and receive free school meals if your earning do not exceed £16,190 a year.
In England and Wales, if you're classed as “having no recourse to public funds” your household income will need to be less than £22,700 if you have one child and live outside London, or £26,300 if you have more than one child and live outside London.
If you live inside London and have one child, your household income will need to be less than £31,200, or less than £34,800 if you have more than one child.
How do I get free school meals in the summer holidays?
If you live in England and your child gets benefits-related free school meals, you are eligible to take part in the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF). Through this scheme, your child gets one free meal a day plus various holiday activities.
As a minimum, each council must provide the equivalent of six weeks' of support per year, but many local authorities do offer more. If your summer holiday lasts six weeks, councils should provide four weeks of help.
Check how you'll need to apply by contacting your local council. Some local authorities in England also offer help through the Household Support Fund, which is a pot of cash distributed through local authorities to help families with rising costs.
The help on offer through the Household Support Fund varies, as each council can decide how it spends the money. Again, get in touch with your local council to see what help they can provide.
If you live in Wales, councils give out vouchers, grants, or packed lunches to those eligible for free school meals. In Scotland, councils offer vouchers or food parcels to those who normally get free school meals.
Northern Ireland previously had a school holiday food grant but this ended in March 2023.
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