Free school meals (FSM)
If you live in Bridgend County Borough and receive any of the following benefits, you can claim free school meals for your school-aged child:
- income support
- income based jobseeker's allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- income-related employment and support allowance
- child tax credit (not working tax credit) if your annual income does not exceed £16,190
- guarantee element of pension credit
- working tax credit 'run-on' (the payment someone may receive for a further four weeks after they stop qualifying for working tax credit
- universal credit (not in work)
- universal credit (in work) where your earnings do not exceed £7,400 from your employment or self-employment
Families who receive working tax credits do not qualify.
Young people who receive income support or income-based job seekers allowance in their own right are also entitled to receive free school meals.
You will be notified of the outcome of your application in writing or by email.
You will be notified of the outcome of your application in writing or by email.
If you are eligible for free school meals, your child’s school will be notified so that they can update their records.
Free school meals are awarded for each child separately and not for the household. You will need to complete a new application form if you have another child starting school for the first time.
You do not need to re-apply if your child moves to another school in the borough. However, you should tell us if your child changes school so we can keep our records up to date.
You should inform the Benefits Section at Bridgend County Borough Council if your circumstances change, e.g. you start work or your earning increase. You can do this by contacting them at FSM@bridgend.gov.uk .
If your child’s new school tells us they are a pupil there, we will update our records. We will also inform them of your child’s eligibility for free school meals.
Changes 01 January 2024
Any pupil eligible for free school meals (FSM) on 01 April 2019 had a protected eligibility called transitional protection (TP), even if their circumstances changed.
This protection applied whilst Universal Credit (UC) was being rolled-out and applied to:
- pupils whose parents were in receipt of one of the legacy benefits being replaced by UC
- pupils whose parents received UC but whose circumstances changed meaning they would have lost entitlement to FSM.
The transitional protection order ended 31 December 2023:
- Any pupils who gained eligibility to free school meals (FSM) after 01 January 2024, who then lose eligibility, will not be entitled to transitional protection.
- Pupils receiving free school meals under the transitional protection arrangement before 01 January 2024, will continue to be entitled to a meal under the provision until the end of their current phase of education (until they finish primary or secondary school) or if they regain actual eligibility through a new FSM award.
For example, YR6 pupils moving to YR7 in September 2024 would lose the right to a meal if they only had TP, (the move to secondary education being a new phase). Only by regaining eligibility to FSM could a meal be provided from September 2024.
You can learn more about free school meals on the Welsh Assembly website. (External link - Opens in a new tab or window)