Free School meals
Free School Meals/Clothing Grant
All P1-5 children receive Free School Meals, however, the Clothing Grant entitlement is not automatically allocated unless the relevant paperwork is completed. Therefore, I urge all parents, and especially P1-5 parents, to look at the link below and complete the paperwork if you think you are entitled.
To receive free school meals and assistance with school clothing, your household must be in receipt of any one of the following:
Income Support
Universal Credit (where the monthly earned income does not exceed £726).
Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £18,725 (as assessed by the HMRC)
Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £8,717 (as assessed by the HMRC)
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit
You can also apply:
If you are 16 to 18 yrs old and receive any of these benefits in your own right
If you have no recourse to public funds, normally due to immigration status
If you are on Universal Credit, we require evidence of your current award, showing:
Name
Address
Period Payment covers
We require to see ALL the elements which make up the award and all the deductions, including any for take home pay
For all other Benefits we require ALL pages of your current award letter
Current recipients of means tested clothing grant and free school meals only need to reapply if any of the following have occurred since your most recent Clothing Grant Payment
Change of address
Change of bank details
Any new P1 children for August 2023
If you have a child in Secondary School S5 / 6 who will be returning to school after the summer holidays, you will not receive your clothing grant payment until the school confirm their return to school.
The School Clothing Grant is £154 for Primary School children and £165 for High School children. Our online application form asks you to provide your bank details to allow us to make payment. If you are unable to provide bank details please contact us by email at clothingandmeals@highland.gov.uk.
If you have questions relating to the Free School Meals and Clothing assistance scheme, please contact us by email at clothingandmeals@highland.gov.uk.