During Covid-19, families who are entitled to free school meals will receive a fortnightly payment into their bank account. If you have not applied for free school meals but meet the criteria below you can apply now.

You can claim free school lunches for your children if you are receiving:

• Housing Benefit
• Universal Credit (where your monthly earned income is not more than £610)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Child Tax Credit, but not Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £16,105
• both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income of up to £6,900

If you are not getting benefits or tax credits your child might still get a free school meal if you’re experiencing financial hardship. This could be because:

• your immigration status means you can not get help from the government
• you’re still waiting on your first Universal Credit notice

If your child is in Nursery, they may also be entitled to free school meals.  Your child can get a free lunch in early learning and childcare if you get any of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit (if your monthly earned income is not more than £610 a month)
• Income Support
• income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
• income-based Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Incapacity Benefit
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Pension Credit

Your child can also get a free lunch if at any point since they were aged 2 they’ve been:

• looked after
• had a Kinship Care Order
• had a Guardianship Order

You can apply online here  https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/food-clothing/free-school-meals-school-clothing-grants or print the attached form and send to the address on the top of the form. FSM Application Form

If you have any questions about your FSM payment during Covid-19, you may find the answer here Free School Meals FAQs