What We Offer

Income Related Free School Meals

If a parent/guardian lives in Liverpool and receives any of the following they can claim free school meals. This is also applicable to nursery-aged children if they attend before and after lunch sessions at a local authority nursery school or nursery class and students aged 16 -18 and studying at a sixth form college or college of further education.​
  • Income Support.
  • Income based Jobseeker's Allowance.
  • Income related Employment 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 have a yearly household income of less than £16,190 (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs) and do not get Working Tax Credit.
  •  Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit).
  • Universal Credit.If a student is over 18 and still attends school, they can claim free school meals if they receive any of the first three allowances listed above.
Foster parents already receive funding and are not eligible for free school meals.
 

​How Parents can claim

The easiest way for a parent/guardian to apply is online using the Liverpool City Council online claim and eligibility checking service - The service checks whether they are eligible and gives an instant answer.

If a parent/guardian is already receiving free school meals and wishes to register another child they can call 0800 0283697 or 0151 233 3009 and the Benefits Service will update the list accordingly.
 
If a parent/guardian is either a non-householder or receiving Universal Credit they cannot currently apply using the online claim and eligibility checking service. 

Parents can also use the paper based application form, which needs to be completed and returned to:

Liverpool City Council
Benefits Service
PO Box 13
L69 2JG

How do schools contact the Benefits Service?

If schools need to inform the Benefits Service about a change, query or to highlight and issue, they need to complete the School Meals Query Spreadsheet. 

It is important that all parts of the spreadsheet are completed for each case. If there is missing information, the Benefits Service may be unable to resolve your enquiry and cause delays. You can use the spreadsheet to query multiple cases.  It helps us resolve the query faster if you can provide the claim reference number which is shown on the Free School Meals list, if you do not have the claim reference please mark the spreadsheet not available (NA).

When completing the spreadsheet please help us by following the guidelines shown below:

·         Headings should not be changed.
·         All fields must be completed.
·         The format / layout of the spreadsheet should not be changed.
·         Do not use commas when completing the spreadsheet.
·         Individual enquiries should be on one line only.

Completed spreadsheet needs to be emailed to: [email protected]   

Emails will be responded to / actioned within five working days. 

Publicity Material

Schools can also download the flyer below to publicise Free School Meals entitlement to parents and carers.

View our latest training courses   |   View our latest vacancies   |   View our latest blog posts