Free school meals eligibility

[NeedSleepNow]

I am in the process of applying for universal credit. I was previously on tax credits as a joint claim with my husband, but we have now separated so I am having to move to a single claim on universal credits. I'm in the assessment period at the moment so have no idea what help I am going to get and am really struggling financially.

I wondered if I would be eligible for free school meals, as with 3 school age children this would be a massive help. My monthly take home pay £602.21 but this is after pension deductions of £35. I'm assuming that it is my salary before any deductions that is used to work out eligibility (means I would not be eligible as I would be £245 over the £7400 a year threshold) rather than salary after the pension deduction (if it was after I would be eligible).

Does anyone know if this is correct please? I have had a look on line but am just getting myself muddled! Thanks

Does anyone know if income used for free school meal eligibility is after any deductions or before? Thanks

From the government site...

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:

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 household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.

Your child may also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:

younger than the compulsory age for starting school
in full-time education
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling (primary or secondary) they’re in on 31 March 2022.

Infant free school meals in England
Your child will be able to get free school meals if they’re in a government-funded school and in:

reception class
year 1
year 2
Tell your local authority if you also get any of the qualifying benefits. Your child’s school can get extra funding if you do.

Eligibility checker: www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

I assume it does because you mention your pension, but does your salary after tax take you over the threshold?

Hopefully putting all of your details into the checker will help give you a better idea.

Is it possible for you to drop an hour a week so that your take-home pay falls below the threshold? If you have 3 children eligible, that could save you at least £25 a week during term time - and more if they continue to give vouchers during the holidays? Plus would the reduction in salary mean your UC would slightly increase? I’m not one for ‘fiddling’ the benefits system, but it seems madness that you lose out on FSM because your income is basically £4 a week too high.

@Bumpinthenight

I assume it does because you mention your pension, but does your salary after tax take you over the threshold?

Hopefully putting all of your details into the checker will help give you a better idea.

Yes my salary after tax (I'm not earning enough to pay tax) takes me over the threshold by £20 a month. I just wasn't sure, as some of the guidance from various schools websites say it is your net salary after deductions that is used to see if you are eligible (and I wondered if my pension counted as one of those deductions - although I assumed not as I could technically opt out of the pension scheme for a slightly higher take home pay). I will have a look at the checker. Thank you

@Soontobe60

Is it possible for you to drop an hour a week so that your take-home pay falls below the threshold? If you have 3 children eligible, that could save you at least £25 a week during term time - and more if they continue to give vouchers during the holidays? Plus would the reduction in salary mean your UC would slightly increase? I’m not one for ‘fiddling’ the benefits system, but it seems madness that you lose out on FSM because your income is basically £4 a week too high.

Yes, for 3 children it would be a saving of £30 a week on school meals which would make a big difference to me. I probably could change my hours slightly if I needed to for now, although I was hoping to try to increase them towards the end of the year with the aim of going full time when someone else at work retires later next year ( then I would obviously be over the threshold by a lot more but would be able to afford to pay for things a more easily then) . I know there has to be a cut off somewhere for benefits etc. It's just frustrating to be a few pounds a week over it

Its also worth a lot of free childcare as well, if you can drop just under the threshold it would make sense when you are only just over.

www.entitledto.co.uk/help/pension-contributions

I'm not sure if this will work, please get a second opinion, but could you put slightly more money into your workplace pension to get under the thresehold? For universal credit, pension contributions are not included.

Thanks for all the replies. It looks like I may need to speak to my boss and see if I could reduce my hours slightly so that I could be eligible for FSM, just untill I find my feet financially. Once an extra day a week is available at work (hopefully from Jan next year), then I should be able to afford to pay for school meals or lunch boxes myself much more easily.