Free school meals & pupil premium help

[wowmummy]

Hi all,

So my twin daughters are starting school in September. My son already receives free school meals. However my husband did some overtime and training last tax year and now it shows an overpayment of £7000 which we have to pay back. Which is fine I understand the tax man wants his money back. But my question is can you still get free school meals if you've got an overpayment because my husband has earned more the previous year?

Thanks in advance I'm really worrying as never would we be able to afford school meals

They'll get free meals automatically until the start of Yr 3 though won't they? All children do now.

This

All children in reception, year 1 and 2 get universal free school meals regardless of parents income. What year is your son in? Was he getting universal free school meals as he was in ks1 or was he getting free school meals as eligible for pupil premium?

If he is KS2 or secondary and was on pupil premium, his free school meals should be protected until the end of the phase of schooling he was in when assessed as eligible. So for example if he was eligible in year 3 due to your income, but your income goes above the threshold the following year he would remain eligible for free school meals until the end of year 6.

Hi free school meals started in reception.

So can I apply for the girls in year 3?

Does school meals follow through to senior school?

Thankyou you've been so helpful already x

Yes you can apply at any point when you believe you are eligible. Even when they get universal free school meals in rec, year 1 or 2 you can apply, if eligible the school then gets just under £1500 a year extra funding for them each and they will be classed as eligible for free school meals going through the whole of primary school then.

The same applies for secondary, usually when they move up to secondary school the school will run eligibility checks using your national insurance number and if eligible at the point of checking they should get free school meals the whole way through. I will see if I can post a link to the guidance for you as the eligibility and proof needed varies from case to case and the rules are slightly different depending on when you are classed as eligible.

This is the link to the government's guidance on free school meal eligibility:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1133262/Free_school_meals.pdf

Does anyone know if pupil premium is also protected until the end of that phase or just free school meals? We won’t be eligible in a few months because I’ve got a new job but it pays for my daughters music lessons at school.

Thanks for the link, so what if my husband does overtime but it's not his salary but obviously we need to put it on our tax credits declaration?

By year 3 the overpayments would be paid off so I could apply then?

The same at secondary school then if it doesn't continue over?

My understanding is that the school will continue to receive pupil premium for them that phase of education even if no longer meeting the eligiblity criteria for free school meals at that point.

The school classes them as 'ever 6', where they have been eligible at some point in the last 6 years and the school will receive the same rate of pupil premium

You can apply at any point when you think you would be eligible. I'm assuming with tax credits it goes on the previous financial year's income (including any overtime, bonuses etc. ), whereas universal credit applicants it goes on the previous 3 months assessment periods. Your County Council should have a team that deal with it so they might be able to advise the best time to check eligibility.

Usually your school will ask reception/ks1 parents to complete a form each year so that they can see if you're eligible as they gain the extra pupil premium finding that way if you are.

Yes you'd then reapply just before secondary school to check eligibility again.

Ah ok. That's a bit troublesome I suppose? On the hmrc they hold his salary correct so maybe I could argue that it's a yearly thing not permanent?

Do you claim child tax credit or universal credit? You’ll get more accurate advice if we know.

There is no arguing with FSM you either qualify or you don’t. If you don’t you’ll have to wait until you qualify.

Apologies you said tax credits. If your annual earnings are too high to qualify for fsm you’ll need to wait until the next tax year.

Hi I'm thinking of waiting till year 3 now, the overpayment will be paid off by then.

It's annoying the government still have 'low' income at £16,190

I mean the cost of living has gone up, leaving more people in poverty - hence why my husband did more hours but now perhaps we aren't eligible.

That classes to me as VERY low income and misses out the people in between? Am I wrong?

Do you receive child tax credit or working tax credit aswell?

Just child tax credit but reading online they have put under food poverty that children should be given free school meals until year 6

So unless you child is fussy, prefers school dinners etc that is an advantage to all of us

That put that to parliament I mean, sorry for confusion. Hopefully they will pass this over to KS2

Be aware that after the transition to UC happens, the salary to qualify for free school meals after year 2 is something like less than £7400 a year.

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