free school meal eligibility - CTC but not WTC, confused.

[Urbanvoltaire]

Hi all, my salary is going down in a few weeks due to a change in my job circumstances and I asked in the school about free school meals. The blurb I was given says the following:

Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190 as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs

So can someone explain how you are entitled to CTC and not WTC? I work for a fairly low wage yet don't seem to be eligible for school meals it seems :(

TIA everyone.

You're right. Looking at the list of qualifications listed, I can't think of an example where anyone with an income below £16k would be in receipt of CTC but not WTC. Either it's badly worded or it's rather a redundant thing to have in the list Makes it sound as though school meals are aimed primarily at the children of the unemployed and that WTC/CTC together should cover school meal costs for people on low incomes.

Having said all of that, if I were you I would still apply. Better that and be turned down rather than not apply if there's a chance you could benefit.

While DH was at training college we qualified for CTC because we had 3 DC, but neither of us was working, so no WTC. The 2 school-age DC had free school meals.

Thanks... that's a scenario I hadn't considered. :)

I think if you are in full-time education like purpleturtle or looking for a job(?) thus have no earnings from work then you may qualify for CTC but not WTC thus are entitled to free school meals. So this counts me out based upon the fact that I work. Ah well. :(

If you were working fewer than 16 hours a week then you wouldn't get WTC but would get CTC I think. So if you were earning under £16,190 your DC would get free school meals