Free School Meals Scheme - national lockdown
School meal provision continues to be available for children eligible for free school meals (FSM) or universal infant free school meals (UIFSM) who are not currently able to attend school. This will be provided as follows:
- As a weekly food parcel or a packed lunch – whereby schools will arrange distribution to eligible families for schools using the council’s preferred catering supplier, Solihull Catering Services
- For schools using alternative catering suppliers, the food provision may differ from the above.
Please contact your child’s school for further information.
For children who are still attending school, meal provision will be provided but this may not be the usual hot meal.
Children of key workers, who usually pay for a meal and are not entitled to either a FSM or UIFSM, who are provided meals will be expected to pay in the usual manner via ParentPay.
If you receive benefits or have a low income, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals.
Please select below to apply for a Free School Meal.
Free School Meals (FSM)
You may be eligible for Free School Meals if you receive a qualifying benefit.
This could be:
- Universal Credit - your household earned annual income must be less than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits
- 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
Once the roll out of Universal Credit is completed in March 2023 anyone who no longer meets the the eligibility criteria , either because their earnings are above the limit or if they no longer receive Universal Credit, will continue to receive Free School Meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).
The Universal Credit rollout is currently expected to complete in March 2023.
What if I don’t receive one of the above benefits?
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, the government are temporarily extending Free School Meal eligibility to include some children of groups who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF).
These groups are:
- children of Zambrano carers
- children of families with no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
- children of families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
If you are in one of these groups your household earnings must not be over £7,400 a year.
We are also temporarily extending eligibility to:
- children of a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
This group is not subject to a maximum household earnings threshold.
If you are in one of the above groups you will need to apply for Free School Meals by calling us on 0121 704 6611.
Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)
All infant pupils in reception, year 1 and year 2 are eligible for Universal Infants Free School Meals.
If you receive benefits and your child gets Universal Infant Free School Meals you should still apply online for Free School Meals. This will allow your child’s school to receive extra funding that could support your child.
You can apply for Universal Infant Free School Meals as soon as your child's place at school is confirmed.
Contact us
If you need help or advice with your application please contact our Family Information Service.
- Phone: 0121 704 6611
- Email: edfreesm@solihull.gov.uk