Warwickshire County Council is committed to supporting families to use the online services available on our website.

Applying for Free School Meals

Parents are advised to apply online using the following link:

www.warwickshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals or by phone via the customer service centre on 01926 359189.

These methods of application are quick, easy and allow parents to utilise their existing account set up initially to apply for a school place. Over 95% of Warwickshire parents apply for a school place through the online facility, and it was decided to incorporate other services through the online portal, this now includes:

• 2 year nursery funding
• School places, i.e starting school, changing school and moving onto secondary school
• Registration for the 11+ selection test 
• Apply for free schools meals

• By telephone: 01926 359189 (Customer Service Centre for parents to make an application).
• By telephone: 01926 742543 (FSM for school queries about applications already made.

We feel that there are a number of families who are eligible for Free School Meals and who are not benefiting from them. You may be eligible if you receive:

• Income support 
• Income-based job seeker’s allowance (JSA)
• Income-related employment and support allowance (ESA)
• Guarantee element of state pension credit 
• Universal credit 
• Both income-based and contribution-based JSA/ESA, if you receive the same amount for both. You should also qualify if you receive both, but the Income-based amount is greater, but not if the contribution-based amount is greater 
• Families who are awarded Child Tax Credit and have an annual income, as assessed by HMRC, not in excess of £16,190 are also eligible to claim free school meals providing there is no entitlement to Working Tax Credit (unless in respect of a 4-week ‘run-on’).

The online checking system only confirms or denies your eligibility to claim free school meals: it does not give the department any other information. If you are currently in receipt of either Universal Credit or the 4-week run on of Working Tax Credit the system will not automatically be able to determine your eligibility, therefore you will need to send proof that you are in receipt of these benefits to the Free School Meals office once you have completed and saved your application.

When your eligibility has been confirmed and your application processed, you will be sent an email confirming eligibility. The school will also receive notification of your child’s application.

The online checking system will continuously check your eligibility status and inform you and the school of any changes.

PLEASE NOTE:

• The school will receive funding based on our numbers of free school meals pupils.
• The names of children receiving free school meals are kept confidential, from their classmates.
• FSM provide financial help to parents and result in a hot dinner for your child.