Free School Meals (FSM) 2023/24

Your child may be eligible for free school meals (FSM) if you are in receipt of any qualifying benefits listed below:

• 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 guaranteed 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 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your annual household net income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get and as assessed by earnings from up to 3 of your most recent assessment periods).

If your child is eligible, and you apply, they will be protected and continue receiving free school meals until March 2025. 

• Since 1 April 2018, all existing free school meals claimants have continued to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This applies even if their earnings rise above the threshold during that time.
• In addition, any pupil gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals until March 2025.
• After March 2025, any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

To find out whether your child qualifies for free school meals, and hence whether Tetherdown Primary school would receive additional funding, please fill in the details requested using the free school meals Eligibility Checker below. A pupil will be eligible to receive a free school meal when a claim for the meal has been made on their behalf and their eligibility, or protected status, has been verified. In some circumstances we may ask you to provide confirmation that you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Parents can also find a useful FAQ on the Eligibility Checker site to assist them.

Moving Into Haringey from another Local Authority or Moving within Haringey and in Receipt of FSM

If you are currently in receipt of FSM and are moving into Haringey from a different borough OR have moved within Haringey it is your responsibility to inform Tetherdown Primary School that you are in receipt of FSM. If you have lost your proof, you will need to contact your former local authority or school who will be able to provide proof. You must provide this proof to Tetherdown.

Further information about applying for FSM in England is also available on the government website. 

You can apply for a one-off school clothing grant of £60 via Haringey if: 

• you live in Haringey and
• your child is eligible for free school meals and
• your child’s date of birth is between 1 September 2011 and 31 August 2012 
• your child transferred to secondary school in September 2023 

You can use your grant to buy:

• school clothes
• shoes for your child