Application Form for Free School Meals

Even if you do not have school dinners it is important to still claim FSM as this entitles you  to pupil premium and the school to extra funding to help your children (See Pupil Premium Grant). 

To complete the application form for Free School Meals please choose one of the following options:

1. Complete form on online (Go to section 1) and submit. A member of staff will contact you to arrange a time for the form to be signed and dated or
2. If you would like to do it yourself (Go to Section 2) – download a Leeds Local Authority’s Free School Meals application form by Clicking the form picture, print it, fill it in, hand it into the school office or post it to the Local Authority directly at the following address:

Welfare & Benefits (FSM Claims)

Leeds City Council
Selectapost 15Leeds,

LS2 8BA 

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Section 1

This application form can be used by the following individuals:

1. Parents or carers who live in Bradford, Kirklees, North Yorkshire and Wakefield but have children who attend a school or Academy in Leeds.
2. Parents or carers who live in Leeds but who do not have any direct Rental or Council Tax liability (for example they are living with relatives or friends or are temporarily homeless).
3. Any parent who wishes to claim Free School Meals for children they are fostering or acting as a Family Network Carer under an arrangement sponsored by Social Services.

If you wish to claim help with your rent and/or Council Tax for an address in Leeds, you should complete the full Leeds City Council benefits application form. This will also allow you to claim Free School Meals for all the children under your direct care. You can apply online at https://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/council-tax-and-benefits/housing-benefits Alternatively forms are available from any One Stop Centre or by telephoning the Benefits Helpline on 0113 2224404. They will also help you complete the form.

If you have children who live with you but attend schools or Academies outside Leeds, we cannot award Free Meals to them- you must make a separate claim to the Local Authority in which their school is located.

DO I QUALIFY FOR HELP?

You can claim Free School Meals for any child who normally lives with you and who is classed as being under your parental care. To get Free School Meals you must receive one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit (and your net combined household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax)
• Income Support, Pension Guarantee Credit, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance.
• Income-related Employment Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit Only (With No Working Tax Credit) and your Annual Taxable Income does not exceed £16,190.

WHICH CHILDREN GET FREE SCHOOL MEALS?

You can claim Free School Meals if you have any children in your care who attend a non-fee paying school full-time. This includes Academies and Free Schools, those in the sixth form (except Notre Dame and Elliott Hudson Sixth Form Colleges), those attending Pupil Referral Units and Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres and those below Reception age who have full day places at nurseries attached to an LEA maintained school (that is they attend nursery both before and after lunch).

HOW DO I FILL OUT THIS FORM?

Simply complete the questions on the other side of this sheet, making sure that you give us the following details: – your name, address and daytime telephone number, details of yourself and your partner including both your National Insurance Numbers, and details of all children under your care who attend schools or Academies in Leeds, including the name of each establishment. Please do not include children attending a school outside Leeds. Tell us which of the qualifying benefits you receive. We will verify your eligibility using the Government’s secure ECS website. If we are unable to determine entitlement using this service, we will write to you to request paper proof of benefit. Finally, read and sign the declaration at the end. Please make sure ALL FIELDS containing * are filled in.

WHERE DO I SEND IT?

Once you have filled in the form and SUBMITTED it (A little message will appear saying it has been submitted), an electronic version will be sent securely to school where a member of staff will fill out the form  and then it will be sent to the Local Authority.

Finally, if you are an Asylum Seeker receiving NASS Support, you do not need to complete this form. Simply show your UK Border Agency identification at your child’s school and they will contact us directly. 

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Section 2: