There are around 5,000 young people in Suffolk that are eligible for a free school meal but not currently claiming one. If they all claimed the meal they are entitled to, Suffolk Schools would be £5 million better off.
More than 12,000 children in Suffolk already receive a free school meal. This saves their families around £400 a year and gives £900 (per child) of additional funding to their school.
Is your child eligible?
Your child will be able to get free school meals if you receive any of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, as long as you do not get a Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
- If you are supported under Part IV of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work less hours per week.
To check if your child is eligible, simply call us on 01473 260989 (Ipswich/Lowestoft and surrounding area) or 01284 758883 (Bury St Edmunds and surrounding area).
If your child is eligible you will need to complete on short simple form. You can get a form by:
- Asking the reception at your child’s school.
- Download the form which is available online - click here
- Telephoning 0845 606 6173.
Once completed you can either hand the form into your child’s school or post it directly to the address on the form.
Once we’ve confirmed if your child is eligible we will write to you and your child’s school. If we cannot confirm your eligibility we will contact you to ask for extra qualifying documentation.
If your child is about to start school full-time and you already have an older child receiving a free meal, you do not need to fill in a new application form, just contact us before your younger child starts school full-time.
