Free school meals vouchers: who is eligible for the scheme in England - and how do I apply?

Marcus Rashford has written to Boris Johnson asking for a review of the policy
The government told schools not to provide free school meals vouchers over the February half term (Getty Images)The government told schools not to provide free school meals vouchers over the February half term (Getty Images)
The government told schools not to provide free school meals vouchers over the February half term (Getty Images)

Free school meals vouchers will return from Monday 18 January, following a national outcry when pictures of meagre food parcels sent to kids were shared on social media.

The government reintroduced the scheme, which is run by supplier Edenred, while also telling schools not to provide vouchers to families over the February half term.

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It comes as Marcus Rashford and a group of celebrity chefs wrote to Boris Johnson asking for a review of the free school meals policy.

Here’s everything you need to know about free school meals vouchers, including who is eligible for the scheme and how parents can apply.

Why have free school meals vouchers been reintroduced?

Free school meals vouchers will once again be made available to schools from next week in another government U-turn.

After pictures of inadequate food parcels posted by angry parents went viral on Twitter, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced on Wednesday 13 January that he would be reintroducing the weekly £15 per child vouchers.

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Mr Williamson told MPs he was “absolutely disgusted” by the images of food parcels delivered to homes, some of which were from private catering company Chartwells.

Footballer Marcus Rashford, who has led campaigns on child food poverty throughout the pandemic, was one of the high-profile people who expressed his outrage over the images of the parcels.

Now Rashford, along with top chefs Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Tom Kerridge, actor Dame Emma Thompson and over 40 charities and education leaders, has called on the Prime Minister to “fix” the free school meals system following recent problems.

The group has asked for the government to introduce a strategy to help to “end child food poverty” before the school summer holidays.

Will vouchers be provided over February half term?

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Marcus Rashford’s letter, organised by the Food Foundation charity, comes after another row emerged this week over the supply of free school meals during the February half-term.

The government has told schools not to provide free school meal vouchers to families over the holidays, and that instead food will be provided to kids by councils under the Covid Winter Grant Scheme.

Councils and unions have called for the government to reverse its decision.

The DfE guidance says: "Schools do not need to provide lunch parcels or vouchers during the February half term.

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"There is wider government support in place to support families and children outside of term-time through the Covid Winter Grant Scheme."

Children were provided with free school meal vouchers over the Easter and summer holidays in 2020 during the coronavirus crisis.

Who is eligible for free school meals?

Nursery children to sixth formers may be eligible for free school meals if they live in households which receive income benefits.

That includes people who receive:

- Income support

- Income-based jobseeker's allowance

- Income-related employment and support allowance

- Universal credit

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

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In England, you are able to claim for free school meals if your household earns a maximum income of £7,400 a year after tax, not including benefits.

All infant state school pupils - those in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 - can receive free school meals throughout term time.

And if a child qualifies for free school meals, they will remain eligible for the scheme until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they’re in on 31 March 2022.

Over the course of the Covid crisis, free school meals have been given to some children of groups who don’t have access to public funds, if their household income is below a specific threshold.

How do you apply for free school meals?

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Parents in England are able to apply for free school meals for their children via their local council’s website.

You can find your local council using the government’s “apply for free school meals” page.

You can also use this tool to find out if your child is eligible for the scheme.

How many kids receive free school meals?

In England, roughly 1.4 million children claimed for free school meals in January 2020 - that is 17.3% of state-educated pupils.

It is estimated that a further 900,000 children in England may have applied for the scheme since the start of the pandemic, according to analysis by the Food Foundation.