Free School Meals and Pupil Premium (FSM & PP)

Free school meals for infants 

Children at school and in reception class, year 1 or year 2 (key stage 1) can have free school meals. This is called Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM). 

You don't need to claim for UIFSM, just contact your child’s school. 

Use iCE for contact details of schools and nurseries in Cheshire East.

If you receive one of the qualifying benefits listed under Income related free school meals we suggest you do make a claim even if your child is in key stage 1 as the school can claim additional funding (pupil premium) for new equipment and resources.  

Income related free school meals (IRFSM)

You can claim free school meals for each child who attends school in Cheshire East if you receive one of these benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income related Employment Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit  - as long as you have a yearly household income of less than £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) and do not get Working Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
  • Universal Credit

This is also applicable to nursery-age children if they attend before and after lunch sessions at a local authority nursery school or nursery class.

Claiming for free school meals or pupil premium Click Here

  • or phone 0300 123 5012

We use the Government eligibility checker to confirm your entitlement. Successful claims can begin the same day. If your claim is not successful or you need to send more proof we will contact you by phone or email, your entitlement will only begin once this information is provided.  If you are in receipt of Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, you can give your permission for your eligibility to be checked using these records.

We cannot backdate claims for Free School Meals to cover unpaid dinner money, or to refund any dinner money paid prior to the date of a successful application.

Change of circumstances

You must remember to tell us if you have any changes to your income or household. For example, you must tell us if

  • your benefits stop 
  • you start to get Working Tax Credit
  • your child changes school 
  • your child leaves school 
  • you change your address

If you do not tell us of any changes in your circumstances, you may have to pay for any taken school meals that your child was not entitled to.

Appealing against the free school meals eligibility criteria

The qualifying criteria for free school meals is set by Central Government, not Cheshire East Council.  Any change to the criteria must be raised via your Member of Parliament.

Pupil premium

This is additional funding that your child’s school can claim.  It is available for any child who qualifies for free school meals due to their family income.

The money can be used by the school to help to provide more support to the children, to help develop children’s academic progress, their self esteem or their social and emotional skills.

For each child registered, the school will receive:

  • £1320 for pupils in reception through to Year 6
  • £1900 for pupils who are in care or who have left local authority care through adoption/special guardianship order/child arrangements order/residence order
  • £300 for pupils where either parent is a serving member of the armed forces or has been in service during the child’s education 

 

 

http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/schools/free_school_meals.aspx

Bunbury Aldersey CE Primary School

School Lane, Bunbury Cheshire CW6 9NR

T: (01829) 260524 or 261332admin@bunburyaldersey.cheshire.sch.uk

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