Support and Benefits for Children at School

Your child will automatically get free school meals if they’re in a government-funded school, and in:


• Reception
• Year 1

• Year 2

Your child may be entitled to continue free school meals from Year 3 if you get any of the following:

• Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian can also get free school meals.



Children attending maintained nurseries may also qualify for a free school meal as long as they are receiving funded early years education before and after lunch, and the parent is eligible for one of the qualifying benefits.

Please Note; If your child is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 and you are in receipt of any of the above benefits, you must still make a claim for free school meals even if you are entitled to the Universal Free School Meals. This is to ensure the school receives the correct entitlement of Pupil Premium for your child.

Eligibility is sometimes reviewed, and on occasion this may mean a child no longer qualifies for free school meals. If anything changes, we’ll make sure to let you know and offer guidance on the next steps.

Nottingham City Council accept applications for the below
schools:

• Berridge Primary School
• Carrington Primary School
• Claremont Primary School
• Crabtree Farm Primary School
• Dovecote Primary School
• Dunkirk Primary School
• Fernwood Primary School
• Forest Fields Primary School
• Glade Hill Primary School
• Greenfields Primary School
• Haydn Primary School
• Heathfield Primary School
• Hempshill Hall Primary School
• Melbury Primary School
• Mellers Primary School
• Middleton Primary School
• Oak Field School
• Rise Park Primary School
• Rosehill School
• Rufford Primary School
• Seely Primary School
• Snape Wood Primary School
• Southglade Primary School
• Southwold Primary School
• The Nottingham Nursery and Training Centre
• Walter Halls Primary School
• Welbeck Primary School
• Westglade Primary School

If your child’s school is not on this list, please contact the school directly for how to apply for Free School Meals.

Your child may be eligible for Free School Meals if you are a household with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

To apply, we will need the following:

• The below NRPF form completed
• Evidence of your household's NRPF status
• Evidence of your income

For more information, please visit Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) - GOV.UK

Download NRPF Application Form

You may still be entitled to free school meals if you are self-employed and on Universal Credit.

You will need to provide:

• A copy of your most recent Universal Credit statement 
• A copy of your company registration or tax return 
• A completed copy of the self-declaration form, which you can download below

Download Self-Employment Form

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme forms part of Nottingham City Council’s childcare offer for school‑aged children. It aims to support the wellbeing of children aged 5 to 16 by providing a range of activities and nutritious meals during school holidays.

• Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) - Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council is launching a new multi-million pound programme to support residents facing financial hardship, while investing in longer-term help to prevent people falling into crisis.

This fund replaces the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF)

Apply for Help and Assistance – residents will be able to complete an online form to request emergency financial help and assistance from the fund. This will include a welfare support referral to the Advice Nottingham group plus other appropriate organisations. In addition, where a resident is currently in financial crisis, an emergency payment may also be made to assist them subject to relevant checks through the Post Office Counters system.

Crisis and Resilience Fund

We no longer provide support for school uniforms. Any new applications beyond 30th September 2024 will not be considered.