All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 automatically get free school meals but you should still register your child to receive free school meals if you are eligible. By doing this your child’s entitlement can be checked on a regular basis so that their school can receive valuable additional funding for every child receiving a free school meal.
To get FSM your child must attend a primary or secondary school in Torbay, or South Devon High School. If you have a child at nursery, they can receive FSM as long as they attend a local authority maintained nursery (not private) and attend both the morning and afternoon sessions.
Students attending sixth forms can receive FSM if the sixth form is part of the school. If your child is at a college, they will not be entitled. Students attending South Devon College may be eligible for Free College Meals. Applications are processed by South Devon College and for more information please contact 08000 380123.
From 1 April 2018, all existing free school meals claimants will continue to receive free school meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This will apply even if your earnings rise above the new threshold during that time. In addition, any child gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 will be protected against losing free school meals during the Universal Credit rollout period.
Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, if you no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because you are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) your child will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).
The Universal Credit rollout is currently expected to complete in March 2022.
Applications
We can undertake an online check for you in complete confidence - you will need to tell us your National Insurance Number or your National Asylum Seeker Number (NASS), your date of birth and your surname (as it appears on your benefit letter).
What will happen next?
- We will check your claim.
- If you are entitled, we will let you and the school know, usually within five to 10 school days and tell you the start date for free meals.
- If your claim is not successful at this stage, we will let you know.
If you still believe you are entitled, please call 01803 208244 for advice. We may need you to send us documentary evidence of a qualifying benefit in this circumstance.
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Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
- Income Support Opens in a new window False
- Employment and Support Allowance Opens in a new window False (Income Related)
- Jobseeker's Allowance Opens in a new window False (Income based)
- The guaranteed element of state Pension Credit Opens in a new window False
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 Opens in a new window False
- Child Tax Credit Opens in a new window False without Working Tax Credit Opens in a new window False and with an annual taxable income (as assessed by HMRC) of less than £16,190
If you have recently become unemployed but are still receiving Working Tax Credits, you may be entitled to Free School Meals during your run on period.
Children in our care, eg foster children cannot be considered for FSM.
Contact Student Services
- Contact us
- Tel: 01803 208244
- School closures
- Find a school
- School term and holiday dates
- Apply for a school place
- Free school meals
- Attendance
- Home to school transport
- Information for schools
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- Complain about a school
- School governors
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- Torbay Virtual School
- Medical Tuition Service Torbay
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- Special educational needs and disability (SEND)
- Music Education Hubs
- Applying for a school place