What are Free School Meals?

Westminster City Council offers Free School Meals to eligible families.

Am I eligible?

To be eligible for Free School Meals from Westminster City Council your child must attend a school maintained by this borough.

 Also parents/guardians must be in receipt of one of the following:

• Income Support (IS); 
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA); 
• Income-related employment and support allowance;
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (they are supported by the UK Border Agency's asylum support or their home local authority’s central asylum team);
• Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) that as of 6 April 2010 does not exceed £16,190;
• Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week; or
• the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.

Children in school sixth form who receive IS or IBJSA in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.

Children who receive "education suitable for children who have not attained compulsory school age" will still need to satisfy the additional requirement of "receiving education both before and after the lunch period", before being eligible to receive free school meals.

How to apply

If you think you are eligible, you can apply to Westminster City Council for Free School Meals:

• Download an application form and FSM important notes at the bottom of this page
  
  
• Pick up an application form from one of the One Stop Service Centres in Westminster (Church Street, Harrow Road, Victoria Street) or
  
  
• Request an application form from Westminster City Council, FSM, PO Box 5744, Dingwall, IV15 9XB. Email: fsm@westminster.gov.uk Tel: 020 7641 3412