The Bolton Impact Trust provides lunches for all of its students when they study on site.
School Meals will only be provided to those students during school closures for those who are legally eligible to receive Free School Meals. Therefore, if your child is eligible, it is vital that you apply to your local benefits agency and inform them of any changes to your circumstances.
Eligibility Free School Meals
Parents in England do not have to pay for school meals if they receive any of the following:
- 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 State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,190
- Working Tax Credit 'run-on' - the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
New eligibility criteria - Universal Credit
From 1st April 2018, the Department for Education made amendments to the eligibility criteria for free school meals to reflect the roll out of Universal Credit full service.
From this date onwards your child will only be eligible for free school meals under Universal Credit if you and your partner have net earned income of less than £7,400 per year (assessed from up to three of your most recent assessment periods).
The Universal Credit rollout is currently expected to be completed by March 2022.
However, in the meantime, transitional protections will be implemented for those children who might otherwise lose free school meals following the update to the eligibility criteria.
The transitional protections will be awarded as follows:
- Any child who is in receipt of free school meals BEFORE 1 April 2018, will continue to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out (until March 2022) regardless of any changes in you or your partners income
- Any child who gains eligibility for free school meals AFTER 1 April 2018 will continue to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out (until March 2022) regardless of any changes in you or your partners income
Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out any existing children who no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education, i.e., primary or secondary.
You can apply by contacting your local authority:
- Bolton Council 01204 331590
- Salford Council 0161 909 6508
- Wigan Council 01942 489002
