Free School Meals

Please note

The window for the School Essentials Grant opened on 1 July 2024, and we would like to make sure eligible families apply.

The School Essentials Grant helps families with the cost of the school day, including school uniform, which is so vital, especially in the current climate.

Registering as eligible for free school meals with your Local Authority unlocks access to the School Essentials Grant. It also means schools get more funding.

With the introduction of free school meals for primary pupils, many parents/carers do not realise that schools will lose out unless familes continue to register as eligible. Check if you are eligible to apply by clicking on the link below:

https://www.gov.wales/get-help-school-costs.

Free school meals form

Although all children in school are currently entitled to a free school meal, Parents still need to log on to Parent pay to indicate the child's choice of meal but payment for children  is no longer required.

Applying for eligibility for Free school meals brings additional benefits such as increased funding for schools which helps to pay for additional Educational support and also help with payments towards residential visits.

Children whose parents receive the following support payments are entitled to receive Free School Meals in maintained schools in Wales:

• Income Support (IS)*
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA)*
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance (IR)
• Child Tax Credit, provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit with an annual total income below the HMRC set limit
• Guarantee element of State Pension Credit

*Children who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also eligible to receive free school lunches.

You can apply by completing the attached application form or clicking on the link and returning to Contact Wrexham, 16 Lord Street, Wrexham, LL11 1LG. It is essential that all sections of this form are completed, in particular Part 1 showing the claimants full name, date of birth and NI number.

Please call the WCBC Support Services section on 01978 297413 to discuss your eligibility for free school meals. 

The Authority may check with your Benefits Agency, on-line, to confirm the benefits you receive.