Eligibility for free school meals / transport - do you have to claim benefits?

[Starsugar]

Do you have to claim benefits to get free school meals and transport? I am a low earner but don't claim benefits. Our catchment school is not the nearest school by distance, so we won't automatically get free transport. TIA

As far as I know (and it's been a while since I worked in a school) you need to be on one of the eligible benefits and earning less than £7,400.

To be honest if you are only earning less than £7,400 per year and no benefits I have no idea how you are paying your bills! Why are you not claiming any benefits if your income is so low?

I think transport and meals are seperate issues tbh. I don’t think they will pay transport if you choose a further away school. I’d have a look on council website for free meals criteria.

School transport (for those over two miles away) isn't means tested.

It isn't always the nearest school either... its the nearest school with space. So you apply for closest school X, but ate allocated which is further away, you can get transport to Y.

I think from memory you need to be on a means-tested benefit to claim FSM. IIRC the threshold is very low (by which I mean, you need to have very little income). I know someone who lost their job and their partner was on min wage and they were not eligible.

Agree, transport to school is another matter. How far away is the school? The policy varies by LA but mostly it transport is offered if you listed the closest schools but were not offered them, and were offered one more than three miles away; or if your only schools are that far away (so you live in a very rural area).

Oh that really is low, I do earn more than that. I used to get tax credits, but now it's means tested and I have savings. Trying to save up for a house deposit..

Surely the nearest school would be your catchment school?

Key stage 1 automatically get FSM.

Our nearest school is just over 4 miles away, but her primary feeds into one thats about 5-6 miles away. I'd rather not risk putting the nearer one as I'm sure she will want to move up with her friends.

If you don't list the nearest one, that may mean you don't qualify for free transport (even tho the nearest one is 3 miles +) but I would check with your LA.

So you’re earning enough to save and have savings which is enough to take you off tax credits…so 16k+ and you want free school meals and transport?! I’m baffled to be honest…

Can you clarify what you actually mean in the admissions arrangements? I live near a county border and those who live one side get a free bus to one school, and those in the other county go the opposite direction on their bus. Or ate these schools where its just a distance criteria?

https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Put in your home postcode and follow the link to the relevant section of your home LA's website for details of how to check eligibility for FSM, and how your LA applies the rules for free home to school transport.

I used to earn a lot more, which is how I managed to save. I'm a single parent on around 12k a year now. I had hoped that I might get some help. Sorry that I baffled you.

I think the answer to my question is that you need to earn less than £7,400 to be able to get the free meals and transport. Which is much lower than I expected!

As far as the travel, we won't be applying to our nearest school, so will have to pay for that too.

I really wouldn't worry about putting her in the same school as her friends. Friendships are very fluid at this age. You often find that a child goes to the same secondary school as their lifelong best friend but has dropped that friend within weeks.

If the nearest school is over 3 miles away by the shortest safe walking route, your daughter will be entitled to free transport if she goes there regardless of your income. However, if you name the other school as first choice and get a place there, the LA will not be required to provide free transport.

In the 00s under New Laboir many thousands of people have claimed state money deposited having savings and numerous properties etc

It was more “hidden” from public 20 years ago as less social media and less of an online world etc. UC replaced tax credits so many have gone from being able to inherit 20k, have cash savings and isas and have cash savings in the bank and still being “entitled” to tax credits as “only earn 5k” on paper to having no right to claim.

It was seen as scandalous to those who knew about it and a world away from the UC system.

Transport is the local policy, it varies by the local authority although there is a requirement for compulsory school aged pupils, up to June of the school year a pupil turns 16, over 3 miles away in secondary to have transport provided, but some use catchment, some use nearest (which might not be in the same county and not in catchment for) - you need to check your LA.

FSM are provided by certain criteria and some apply to the end of key stage, if circumstances change.