Families urged to check for school meals support during the summer holidays
How to apply for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours childcare
Families across Scotland are being urged to check their eligibility for free school meal support over the summer holidays. Local authorities support eligible families to access food during school holiday periods, including food vouchers and direct payments to families.
The Scottish Government provides local councils with a total of £21.75 million annually to fund this provision. Households normally eligible for free school meals during term time should automatically start receiving payments of £2.50 or £4.80 per day, per child, during the holidays, depending on the child's age and where they live.
National advice agency Advice Direct Scotland has calculated that a household with two children could be entitled to between £150 and £288 to help cover meal costs over the course of the six-week summer break.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth recently said: 'Schools breaking up for summer provides families with opportunities to rest, enjoy quality time together and prepare for the academic year ahead, but we know the holiday periods can also be a time of increased financial pressure for families.
'Scotland is currently the only part of the UK with holiday free school meal provision, which is an important strand of our work towards eradicating child poverty. The Scottish Government provides more than £21 million annually to support local councils to continue free meal provision for those families that need it most.
'I urge anyone who may have become newly eligible to check their eligibility status with their local authority and apply as soon as possible.'
Parents who have not yet applied for free school meals, or who might start claiming benefits over the holidays due to a change in circumstances, are being urged to take action now to access additional financial support.
All children in P1 to P5 at schools run by local councils currently receive free school lunches during term time, regardless of their family circumstances.
Children in P6 and above continue to qualify only if they come from low-income households.
Over the summer and other holidays, support is available to those who normally receive free school meals. Payments are set at £2.50 per day, per child, for each weekday during the holidays, excluding weekends.
However, some councils, such as Midlothian, offer higher rates of £4.20 per primary school pupil and £4.80 per secondary school pupil.
This means summer payments will be around £75, £126, or £144 per child, depending on the rate and school stage.
Rebecca Fagan, benefit and welfare information officer at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'It is crucial that families know about the support available to help provide healthy meals for their children. Many Scots are facing financial difficulties due to the cost-of-living and energy crises and will be worried about holiday-related expenses on top of rising bills.
'For families with children eligible for free school meals, payments are available throughout the summer, so we encourage anyone who might benefit to apply now. Remember, once your application is approved, payments will start promptly and will also be available during other school holidays.
'If you're unsure about your eligibility or need help applying, our team at advice.scot offers free, confidential support to everyone, regardless of personal circumstances.'
How to qualify for free school meals
To qualify, people must be in receipt of one of the following benefits:
Universal Credit (where monthly earned income is not more than £850)
Income Support
Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance
Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
People who are not currently eligible but start receiving one of the above benefits during the summer holidays can apply for the extra support immediately.
Applications can be made through councils or online at mygov.scot. Those unable to fill out the application can contact the team at advice.scot for help, over the phone or online.
The form takes around 20 minutes to complete.
Applicants will need the dates of birth of any children they have, their partner's details if applicable, and their bank details.
Advice.scot provides free, practical advice and information on any topic, including access to benefits and whether households are claiming all the support they are entitled to.
The team can be contacted on 0808 800 9060, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
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