Free school meals

The eligibility criteria for free school meals depends on which year group your child is in.

Nursery students

To be eligible for free school meals:

• Your child must attend a Rochdale Borough Council maintained nursery.
• Your child must receive education before and after lunch.
• You must also receive one of the qualifying benefits listed below.

All children over the age of 3 receive 15 hours of nursery a week for free, starting from the term following their third birthday.

Reception, year 1 and year 2 students

You don't have to apply for free school meals for children in reception, year 1 and year 2.

All children in these year groups get a free meal at lunchtime, under the government's Universal Infant Free School Meals scheme. These are provided at all schools, academies, free schools and pupil referral units maintained by Rochdale Borough Council.

However, if your child is in a key stage 1 group and you get one of the qualifying benefits listed below, you can help your school get extra funding if you make a claim for free school meals.

Year 3-year 11 students

To be eligible for free school meals:

• You, as the parent or guardian, must receive Child Benefit for the child you are responsible for.
• You must also receive one of the qualifying benefits listed below.

16-19 year-old students

To be eligible for free school meals:

• You must go to secondary school or a sixth form attached to a secondary school.
• You or your parent or guardian must also receive one of the qualifying benefits listed below.

Qualifying benefits for free school meals

These are the qualifying benefits for free school meals:

• Income Support (IS).
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (IBJSA).
• An income-related employment and support allowance.
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
• Child Tax Credit - provided you aren't entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an income that doesn't exceed the current year's level.
• The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit.
• Working Tax Credit during the 4-week period immediately after your employment finished.
• ​​Universal Credit: your child is only eligible for free schools meals under Universal Credit if you and your partner have net earnings of less than £7,400 per year. We'll check your earnings with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). This criteria came into place on Sunday, 1 April 2018. However:
  • If your child was eligible for free school meals before Sunday, 1 April 2018, they'll stay eligible until Monday, 31 March 2025, regardless of if you or your partner's income changes.
  • After Monday, 31 March 2025, your child will stay eligible until the end of their current phase of education. For example, if your child is in year 4 in 2025, they will remain eligible until they finish primary school but will no longer be eligible for free school meals in secondary school if you and your partner's net income is more than £7,400 per year.

Free school meals for families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

The Department for Education has permanently extended free school meal eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF). 

The eligible groups include, but may not be limited to children of:

• Zambrano carers
• Families who have 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
• Families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• A subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Chen carers
• Families holding a British National (Overseas) passport
• Spousal visa holders
• Work visa holders
• Student visa holders
• Those with no immigration status

Income thresholds for families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF)

To be eligible for free school meals for families with no recourse to public funds, your annual household income must be under:

• £22,700 for families with 1 child
• £26,300 for families with 2 or more children

You must also not have more than £16,000 in capital and savings.

You may need to provide full bank and building society statements, showing all transactions for the last 2 months for all accounts held, whether in the UK or your home country.

What will happen if your income changes

If you get free school meals and your income increases above the qualifying limits, your children will still get free school meals until at least 31 March 2025.

If they're still at school on 31 March 2025, free school meals will continue until the end of year 6 if they're at primary school, or the end of year 11 if they're at secondary school.

This protection only covers children included in the original claim. Any children who start school after your income increases will not get free school meals.