18 January 2021

Don't miss out on Free School Meal payments

Aberdeenshire Council continues to provide free school meal payments direct to families on low incomes who meet certain eligibility criteria.

A payment of £52.50 per child will be paid direct to parents nominated bank accounts by Thursday, 21 January. The payment covers the period Monday, 11 January to Sunday, 31 January. The payment of £52.50 per child, is comprised by three weeks free school meals entitlement at £12.50 per week and £5 per week breakfast money. 

Eligible families already in receipt of Free School meals, do not have to apply for this funding.  If you have recently applied for income based free school meals please be assured that we are dealing with all applications as quickly as possible and we will contact you direct when your application has been processed. 

Families who are on a low income but not currently in receipt of Free School Meals can check entitlement by completing the following online form: https://aberdeenshirecouncil.formstack.com/forms/free_school_meals_school_clothing_grant_application_form
The current eligibility criteria is listed below. It is also included in the entitlement checker.

Children are eligible for free school meals if their parents (or carers) are in receipt of a qualifying benefit. The qualifying benefits and allowances are:

• Income Support (IS)
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (JSA)
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit)
• Any income related element of Employment Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit (CTC), but not Working Tax Credit (WTC), and have an income of less than £16,105
• Both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit with an income of less than £7,330
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Universal Credit with a monthly take home pay of less than £610

If you are aged 16-18 years-old and receive any of the above qualifying benefits in your own right, you can apply for free school meals.

For more information please visit:  https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/schools/school-info/assistance/free-school-meals/