Free school meals

How to apply

You can apply for free school meals online:

Apply for free school meals

Free school meals cannot be backdated so it is important for you to make a claim as soon as possible.

Automatic enrolment

We want to make sure no eligible child in Hartlepool misses out on a free school meal. To simplify the process, we use data-matching to automatically award free school meals where eligibility can be confirmed.

How it works

We compare data from:

• current free school meals claims
• Council Tax Support records
• school admissions

If your household receives Council Tax Support and your child isn’t already receiving free school meals, we’ll check eligibility using the Department for Education’s Eligibility Checking Service (ECS).

What happens next

• If eligible, we’ll automatically enrol your child and notify you and the school
• You don’t need to do anything unless you wish to opt out

Opting out

If you do not want to be automatically enrolled, email benefits@hartlepool.gov.uk with your full name and address.

Who can get free school meals?

Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you receive one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit (if your annual net earned income is no more than £7,400, based on up to three recent assessment periods)
• 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 guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (if you are not also receiving Working Tax Credit and your annual gross income is no more than £16,190)
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)

Universal infant free school meals

All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive free lunches by law.
If you qualify based on income, please still apply - your child’s school will receive additional funding (pupil premium).

Additional eligibility

Nursery children: 

Nursery children are entitled to free school meals if they meet all the criteria below:

• parent receives one of the benefits above
• the child attends nursery before and after the lunch time
• the child attends a maintained nursery or academy nursery; this does not include any private nursery

Post-16 students:

Must attend a sixth form school (not a further education college). If your child attends a further education college, they should apply for free school meals by contacting the college directly.