Your son is entitled to free school meals if you are on Income Support, or Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance, or Child Tax Credit with no Working Tax Credit and where household income is less than £16,190 a year. Universal Credit - your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get).

You can obtain an application form from your local authority or from the school registrar. If you have difficulty obtaining a form or applying, please contact the Admissions Officer who will provide help. All parents can check eligibility by using the online service http://www.merton.gov.uk/learning/schools/schoolservices/catering/freemeals.htm

If your son is entitled to free school meals, it is very important that you apply. This is because a substantial part of the school’s funding is calculated on the basis of free school meal entitlement. It does not matter whether or not your son actually eats his free school meals, the school will not get funding for other things if you do not claim your entitlement. Please remember that the cashless system operated in the school refectory means that no one can know whether or not your son has free school meals.