Management Information Sheet

In April 2018, the Department for Education put in place protections around free school meal eligibility during the period of the Universal Credit roll out to ensure that no child would lose their eligibility to free school meals. These protections were to end date of March 2022 but were subsequently extended to the end of March 2023. This is to inform you that the end date has now been extended to March 2025.

Any child gaining eligibility for free school meals after 1 April 2018 is now protected against losing free school meals during the Universal Credit rollout period until March 2025. After this date any existing claimants that no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold or are no longer a recipient of Universal Credit) will continue to receive free school meals until the end of their current phase of education (i.e. primary or secondary).

As a reminder the current benefits which attract Free School Meals are:

• Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400.
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guarantee element of Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual income of no more than £16,190

How to apply

Parents should be encouraged to apply on line and information and a link to the on line application service is provided at Norfolk.gov.uk.

Alternatively, an application form can be issued to those who prefer not to use the online service.

Free School Meals for those with No Recourse to Public Funds

The government extended Free School Meal eligibility to children in households with no recourse to public finds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds. These groups include, but may not be limited to children of:

• Zambrano carers
• families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Chen carers
• families holding a BN(O) passport
• spousal visa holders
• work visa holders
• student visa holders
• those with no immigration status

As these families will not be in receipt of Universal Credit or a legacy benefit, they will not be able to apply using the online application system and we will not be able to confirm eligibility using the DFE's Eligibility Checking System. These families should be directed to Norfolk.gov.uk where there is a separate application which can be downloaded.

School Access Module (SAM)

Details of children entitled to free school meals can be viewed on the School Access Module. Synergy Web (norfolk.gov.uk)

1. Login using your Username and Password
2. View FSM Eligibility
3. In the Search Fields - select FSM Status "Entitled"
4. Click Search again and the children will be listed
5. Once displayed this information can be exported to a spreadsheet under the "Actions" tab if needed.