More than 5,000 children in Luton are missing out on free healthy, tasty school meals, which could save parents on average £300 per child every year.
Luton Council has launched a campaign today (18 October) to make sure parents and carers are aware of their entitlement and to offer any help they need to claim free school meals for their children. To raise awareness, posters will be on display as well as press and radio adverts.
School meals have come a long way from stodgy pie and mash, sponge and lumpy custard. Pupils are now spoilt for choice with a nutritional, balanced menu, meeting government standards, where they can choose from three main courses and a selection of desserts.
Children can now tuck into meals to tickle their taste buds including roast dinners, meatballs and spaghetti, chicken and spinach tikka masala, vegetable moussaka, as well as delicious desserts like raspberry and apple tart and fruit crumble and on a daily basis enjoy salad, fresh fruit and yoghurt.
Children will be entitled to free school meals and school clothing assistance, if their parents/carers receive any of the following benefits:
- Income support
- Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit but not getting Working Tax Credit and an annual income less than £16,190
- Working Tax Credit ‘run-on’ (the payment you may receive for a further four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) – free meals apply for these four weeks only
- Support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS).
Children who receive Income Support or income based Job Seeker’s Allowance in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals, if they are still at school.
Cllr Tahir Khan, Executive Member with responsibility for Children’s Services said: “School meals are a great way of ensuring that children are eating a nutritious, tasty and well-balanced meal during the day. Research suggests that a healthy school meal may improve concentration levels and therefore help pupils achieve better results.
“We therefore want to ensure all school children who are entitled to a free meal don’t miss out, so parents don’t delay please check if your child is eligible.”
Parents will also be helping the school their child attends to receive extra Government funding as they will receive £430 for every pupil that applies and qualifies for free school meals.
Follow this link to apply for free school meals in Luton, or contact the Education Welfare Team on 548180 / 548174, email: education.welfare@luton.gov.uk
