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Hertfordshire County Council


Nursery children

Nursery school children aren't entitled to free school meals. Discuss lunch arrangements direct with your nursery.

School milk in nursery - children do get a free choice of whole milk or semi-skimmed, funded by the NHS.

 

Healthy Start vouchers

You may be entitled to food and milk vouchers, free vitamins and great recipes for under 4s. Healthy Start – find out if you're entitled.

 

Children in reception, year 1 and year 2

All children can get a free lunch at school if they're in reception class, year 1 or year 2.

If you register, your school could get extra funding (called 'Pupil Premium') to pay for additional staff time, extra computers, books and trips for students.

Register for free school meals (reception, year 1 and 2)

Have your National Insurance number or Home Office number to hand when you apply.


School milk in reception, year 1 and year 2 - schools provide free milk for all children, up until their 5th birthday. If it's during the term, they won't get free milk from that term onwards.

After that, most children who have registered for free school meals can continue to get free milk, except for children who get Universal Income free school meals. Contact your school for more information.

 

Children in year 3 or older

Your child can get a free school meal if you receive any of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guaranteed element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (as long as you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and you don't get more than £16,190 a year)
  • Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
  • Universal Credit (with annual earned income of no more than £7,400 after tax and not including any benefits you get).


Apply today if you receive any of these benefits. It takes 5 mins and in most cases we can tell you straightaway if your child can get free meals at school.

Children in year 3 or older might be entitled to extra help.

Check your eligibility, then apply (Year 3 and older)

Have your National Insurance number or Home Office number to hand when you apply.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until March 2025, or until they finish their current phase of schooling (primary or secondary), if that's after the end of March 2025.

 

School milk in year 3 or above

Children entitled to free school meals can also get free milk. Contact your school for more information.

 

Children of foreign nationals

Free school meals have been extended to some children of foreign nationals. Visit GOV.UK for guidance on who’s eligible and an application form you can send to your school.
 

Extra help

We don't provide school uniform grants. Speak to your child's school to see if they can help.

Children in year 3 or older might be entitled to other benefits such as help towards music lesson costs and half price bus travel.

You're entitled to this extra help if you're eligible for free school meals or if you get:

  • Child Tax Credit, payable at a higher rate than the family element (more than £547.50)
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax Support (not including second adult rebate)
  • Universal Credit with annual earned income of no more than £7,400 (for 100% music help) or £15,000 (for 50% music help) after tax and not including any benefits you get.
Check your eligibility, then apply (Year 3 and older)

 

You may also be able to get help from:

Discounted train travel. 

Help with music lesson fees

Students living or attending school in Hertfordshire may be able to get financial support for instrument or vocal lessons by applying directly to Hertfordshire Music Service.

Visit Hertfordshire Music Service for details and how to apply.

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You can change the settings of your web browser so that it won’t accept cookies. For more information visit AboutCookies.org.

But, doing this may stop you from using some of the online features and services on this website. 

Cookies we use

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Take a look at a list of cookies we use on our website:

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Just for the time you are on our website.

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Required functionality

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1 month

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There are links and content from other sites and services on our website. These sites and services set their own cookies.

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Cookies of the same names are also used for the same purpose by other websites such as Building Futures, Countryside Management Service and Hertfordshire LIS.

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