Free school meals and secondary-school clothing grants

Free school meals

It will normally take us a few weeks to deal with your claim, but this shouldn't stop your child from getting free school meals straightaway.

The school will give free school meals for four weeks if you have claimed from us, and you show them evidence that you get one of the qualifying incomes.

When we have dealt with your claim, we will tell you and the school that your child is entitled to receive free school meals.

Secondary-school clothing grant

If you are entitled to secondary-school clothing grant we will pay a full year's grant once we have dealt with your claim, if your child is in Year 7 or 10. The grant for 2011/12 is £80 for a year 7 child and £41 for a year 10 child.

If you are entitled to the secondary-school clothing grant(s) we will write and tell you. We will then send you a second letter for you to take to the Post Office® to collect the grant. The Post Office® will give you the money in cash. You will need to take proof of your identity with you to collect the grant. The letter we send you will explain what the Post Office® will accept as proof of your identity.

If you have an account listed below you can put the payment straight into your bank account at the Post Office®:

• Current accounts
  Santander (accounts opened in Alliance and Leicester before July 2010), Bank of Ireland, Barclays, cahoot, Clydesdale Bank, Lloyds TSB, smile, The Co-operative Bank.
• Basic bank accounts 
  Santander (accounts opened in Alliance and Leicester before July 2010), Bank of Ireland, Clydesdale Bank, Lloyds TSB, smile, The Co-operative Bank
  

If you are already claiming from us we will pay your grant during the school Summer holidays before your child starts Year 7 or 10. We will send the letters in early August.

Changes in your circumstances

Once you've claimed, if your circumstances change  you must tell us straightaway. For example:

• if you stop getting one of the qualifying incomes you must tell us and the school straightaway. You will then need to make your own arrangements to pay for school meals.
• you must tell us if your child changes school so we can tell the new school to give them free school meals.
• you must tell us if you move home and give us your new details so we can transfer your benefits to your new address.

This is not a full list of changes you must tell us about.