Question about free school meals?

[Leah5678]

My child receives free school meals because when she started reception I was in a bad place financially, I am now in a better place and she wouldn't qualify for them if I'd been applying now (apparently that's earning less than £7400 a year so "better place" isn't saying that much haha) anyway my question is am I right in thinking she still gets free school meals till she finishes year 6 which is still quite a few years off. Despite me now earning over £7400?

Does this include the free holiday clubs as well?

You need to look up your own councils policy. Some have done transitional protection so they carry forward past awards to current year.

That seems to be the case.
The school benefits, so please do apply, for as long as you can.
For a while, I used the vouchers to do a food bank shop.
As it happens, I'm struggling again, now, having had time off work for surgery, and being limited in what hours I can do, for a while. I wouldn't actually meet the threshold, now, but that 'residual entitlement' really is coming in handy, right now.

Free School Meal transitional protections* *
The benefit related free school meal (FSM) protections policy was introduced in 2018. It was introduced to protect those eligible for benefit related FSM from becoming ineligible while Universal Credit (UC) is being rolled out. This was originally set to last until March 2022 and was subsequently extended to March 2023.
The end date for protections has now been extended further until March 2025. This is when we expect UC roll-out to be complete for most cohorts.
This means that a pupil who was benefit related FSM eligible on 1 April 2018, or who has become eligible under the benefits/low-earnings criteria since then, will continue to receive free meals, even if their household income exceeds the eligibility threshold, up until March 2025 and then until the end of their phase of education.

Seems to be conflicting info on there it mentions being locked in till 2025 but it also mentions being locked in till the end of primary which would be quite a few years after 2025. Very confusing or maybe I'm just being a plank 😂

It's known as Ever6 - a chikd remains eligible for 6 years
The income limit for FSM is not £7400, its far higher, £16k ish off the top of my head.

Where did you hear it was 16k? Every website I look on says 7.4k. Not saying you're wrong but maybe it has changed since you last checked

Yes it is 7.4k.

It's around 16k in Northern Ireland

Fair enough. I've done some googling and it can vary depending on where in the country you are I think in London it's something like over 20k.

But the majority of the country is 7.4k. I only made this thread to check that I'm not doing anything wrong? I've had another parent at my child's school make snide remarks about me and benefit fraud and how unfair it is because my child gets fsm and hers doesn't.
A lesson in not to tell other people your business I suppose

Once you are entitled, it stays that way until the end of secondary school.

We stopped being entitled when DC were in reception and year 1 but because they were already receiving them, it continues. DC are 12 and 11 now and still get them.

Bump?

Hi the question has been answered , child will be entitled to the end of their current stage of education. Primary or secondary.