FAQ

My other/older child is eligible, so why isn’t my younger one?

Eligibility is done on an individual basis not a family basis. Once a child becomes eligible, despite any circumstance changes, i.e., threshold increase or working tax credits claimed, they will remain eligible until March 2025. Therefore, if a sibling is added later, circumstances may have changed showing the result as negative. This is quite common whereby one sibling is eligible and one isn’t eligible.

My child was eligible when he / she attended a school outside Hampshire, so why isn’t he / she now?

Schools outside Hampshire cannot transfer applications to us; therefore, we need to create one of our own which might show as non-eligible. The previous school then need to email either the Hampshire school admin office or Education Catering with the date the child was transferred and say that they were eligible when they left. We can then override the current application.

I’m under the household threshold but receive Working Tax Credits, so why am I not eligible?

You won’t be eligible because you’re in receipt of Working Tax Credit. Any amount of Working Tax Credit knocks out eligibility to claim free school meals.

I’m in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), and believe I should be eligible? Can you confirm?

We need to see the last UC statement in full as there is an amount within that we need to check against a threshold amount we hold.

Is there an automatic eligibility list?

No. Parents need to make the application.

There is no automatic eligibility for looked after children. Foster parents must meet the criteria the same as the natural parent. The application can be in either natural parent or foster parent’s name, it does not matter where the child resides.

I’m separated. Do we both need to be eligible?

With separated parents, it does not matter which parent the child lives with as long as one of them is eligible.