Free school meals & Tax credits

vickijh32

Hi all wondering if somone could help me please.
I thought we may be entitled to free school meals as our anual income before tax is £15,950.
When talking to my local council I have been informed that I have to add what we get in tax credits to our annual income which will take us over the £16,190 threshold to be entilted to the free school meals. Is this correct? Does this also apply when I give tax credits our annual income to claim tax credits as well? I've never added the amount of tax credits we get to our income and am now rather confused:eek: Many thanks Vicki

Caz3121

are the tax credits you receive currently child tax credits only or child and working tax credits?
you do not qualify for free school meals if receiving working tax credits (apart from the 4 week run-on)
https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals
you do not include your tax credits income when you notify tax credits of your total income

vickijh32

Hi Caz, we don't get working tax credits, just the childrens tax credits. I sent in our award notice which shows £16000 although we won't quite get that but the lady on the phone told me I need to work out how much childrens tax credits we get then add that onto our annual wage as well which will more than likely take us over the threshold making us not entitled to free school meals. I was told last month we qualfied, then a week later we didn't then a week later we did and today told we didn't. I'm so confused lol

Cheeky_Monkey

Presumably, when looking at your eligibility for free school meals, they'll look at your total household income not just wages

Darksparkle

vickijh32 wrote: »

Hi Caz, we don't get working tax credits, just the childrens tax credits. I sent in our award notice which shows £16000 although we won't quite get that but the lady on the phone told me I need to work out how much childrens tax credits we get then add that onto our annual wage as well which will more than likely take us over the threshold making us not entitled to free school meals. I was told last month we qualfied, then a week later we didn't then a week later we did and today told we didn't. I'm so confused lol

Why do you not receive WTC?

If it is because your household income is too high to receive it then you are still entitled to the elements of WTC and this stops your entitlement to free school meals.

vickijh32

Hi Darksparkle, I really don't know we don't get WTC, could it be because our income last year was £20000 but this year it £15,950? (I don't know how it all works)
I'm puzzled because it says on the government website that if you claim childrens tax credits with an annual income £16,190 or less you could be entitled to free school meals.

Cheeky_Monkey I spoke to someone at tax credits and they said I don't add on the amount of tax credits to our annual income, but the government have added £2,500 to this years total income due to the fact of our wage decreasing and that they will go on the final figure at the end of the tax year. We have one more wage slip before the new tax year and we won't even earn £15000 this year. It's all so confusing to me.

vickijh32

Ok I think I've found the answer to my question. I was trying to understand where the additional £2,500 comes from and have just found this on the gov.uk website:
If your income is likely to drop this tax year

The calculator asks you for your income for the last tax year. If you think your income will go down by more than £2,500 this tax year:

• take your estimated income for this tax year
• add £2,500 to it and use this figure instead

This is because the Tax Credit Office ignores the first £2,500 of your income drop, but the calculator doesn’t.

Auntie-Dolly

The school may be able to check your eligibility for Pupil Premium/FSM. They will need your NI number, DoB & surname to submit to a checking service which will come back with a true or false. If it comes back 'true' the school will receive an additional payment for your child so in their interest as well as yours.

Darksparkle

vickijh32 wrote: »

Ok I think I've found the answer to my question. I was trying to understand where the additional £2,500 comes from and have just found this on the gov.uk website:
If your income is likely to drop this tax year

The calculator asks you for your income for the last tax year. If you think your income will go down by more than £2,500 this tax year:

• take your estimated income for this tax year
• add £2,500 to it and use this figure instead

This is because the Tax Credit Office ignores the first £2,500 of your income drop, but the calculator doesn’t.

Based on what you've said I would need to assume that you or your partner work. If you work at least 24hrs between you, you are entitled to WTC.

This is then likely reduced to zero due to your income. Your award will confirm.

You can't claim for free school meals if entitled to WTC, even if this is reduced to zero. This is because you technically receive more on tax credits.

Eg income 20,000 and not working - tax credits is £1780.

Income £20,000 and working - tax credit is £2545

Regarding the income, if £20,000 last year and £15,950 this year, you'll be treated as earning £18,450 because they disregard the first £2500 of any decrease.

vickijh32

Thank you Auntie-Dolly I guess there's no harm in asking the school about Pupil Premium/FSM. I haven't heard of that before.

Thank you Darksparkle for the explanation My husband works 45 hours a week. Am I correct in thinking we will be entitled to WTC in the new tax year as our income will be the same? I understand that we wouldn't be entitled to free school meals if we did get WTC. Thanks

[Deleted User]

vickijh32 wrote: »

Thank you Auntie-Dolly I guess there's no harm in asking the school about Pupil Premium/FSM. I haven't heard of that before.

Thank you Darksparkle for the explanation My husband works 45 hours a week. Am I correct in thinking we will be entitled to WTC in the new tax year as our income will be the same? I understand that we wouldn't be entitled to free school meals if we did get WTC. Thanks

if your husband is working 45 hours a week he will get the living wage if he's not already reached it. (unless he's self employed?)