Who gets free school meals?

To qualify for free school meals a child must:

• live in the area covered by Manchester City Council
• be aged up to 16, or over 16 if they are still at a school full-time
• Children who live outside Manchester are considered by the council where they live.

The child’s parent must be:

• primarily responsible for that child, receiving the Child Benefit for example; and
• be getting a qualifying benefit or credit.
• If you think a child should be getting free school meals, but you haven’t heard from us, contact Manchester City Council for advice.
• Foster children, and children of asylum seekers
• Foster children can’t have free school meals. Foster parents receive an allowance to cover costs like this.