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Apply now for free school meals

Free school meals are worth £370.50 per child per year. The approval of your free school meals application may mean you also get financial help with music tuition and with curriculum related residential trips or school visits. Apply now!

Am I eligible for free school meals?

To apply for free school meals for your child, you must live in Newcastle and be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • income-related employment and support allowance
  • support from the National Asylum Support Service
  • Child Tax Credit and not in receipt of Working Tax Credit with an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
  • the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

If you are a young person who receives income support or income based jobseeker's allowance in your own right, you are also entitled to receive free school meals. Pupils are entitled to free milk up to their 5th birthday if they attend a primary or nursery school session lasting more than 2 hours per day.

How do I apply?

The person receiving the benefit should complete the application. Click here to apply for free school meals.

When do I apply?

  • as soon as your child starts school or,
  • as soon as you become entitled to free school meals.

You can claim free school meals for children up to the age of 19 if they attend a school sixth form full time. They must be under 19 on 1 September, an application cannot be backdated.

You do not need to reapply for free school meals each term, or at the start of the academic year. If your financial circumstances have not changed, your child’s entitlement to free school meals will continue and will transfer with your child if they change schools within the city, for example at transfer to secondary school. Please do not submit a duplicate application as this slows down the response time for new applicants.

What happens next?

  • We will check your eligibility for free school meals on local and national benefits systems. 
  • Sometimes we may need more information before we can make a decision. If this is the case, we will contact you to ask you to provide this.
  • We will write to tell you the outcome of your application and what date your child’s free school meals will start. We will also let the school know.
  • Successful claims will start from the nearest Monday from the date we receive your application or the date handed in at a school, providing we can confirm proof of benefit.
  • Applications are processed within 5 to 10 working days, or sooner in quieter periods.
  • If your claim is unsuccessful and you think it has been wrongly assessed, please write to Student Services, Room 213, Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8PU or email student.info@newcastle.gov.uk.

Frequently asked questions

Help and support

Page last updated: 19 September, 2012