FSM Eligibility and Further Information

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 have an annual net earned income of 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).

1. Free School Meal eligibility - pupils who are recorded as eligible for free school meals, or have been recorded as eligible in the past 6 years, including eligible children of families who have no recourse to public funds (NRPF). These families will be in receipt of any qualifying benefit (e.g. income support). 
2. For eligibility criteria for FSM click: https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals (also listed below)
3. You can apply through the Eligibility Checker https://fsm.lgfl.org.uk
4. If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme. Food vouchers may also be available through the Household Support Fund.
5. Looked-after children - children looked after by local authorities
6. Previously looked-after children - children previously looked after by a local authority or other state care.

1. Parents currently serving in the regular armed forces, including of another nation and stationed in England/registered as a Service Child. 
2. For eligibility criteria click: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-service-pupil-premium/service-pupil-premium-what-you-need-to-know

Families with no recourse to public funds can get free school meals for their children.

This includes:

• 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

For further information and how to apply, please go to the Haringey website.

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

• Transitional protections for free school meals have been in effect since 1 April 2018. This means that pupils becoming eligible for free meals under the benefits-based criteria have continued to receive this entitlement, even if their household circumstances have changed.
• Transitional protections were introduced alongside the current £7,400 earned income threshold for households on Universal Credit to be eligible to receive free school meals, and were intended to provide certainty for families during the rollout of Universal Credit.
• Transitional protections have been extended until the end of the 2025/26 school year. All pupils becoming eligible for free school meals under the benefits-based criteria, should continue to receive this entitlement, regardless of any change in household circumstances or phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary) until the end of the 2025/26 school year.

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: 

• your child’s date of birth is between 1 September 2013 and 31 August 2014
• your child transfers to secondary school in September 2025 
• you live in Haringey
• you receie a qualifying benefit to get free school meals at the time you apply for a clothing grant

You must apply by 31 March 2026.

You can use your grant to buy:

• school clothes
• shoes for your child