Free School Meals

Mishomeister

Tried to to look for this info online but to no avail. When assessed for free school meals is there any income that is disregarded within the £16,190? Eg. Child tax credits, DLA, Carer alowance etc. ?

Many thanks

elsien

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1133262/Free_school_meals.pdf

Mishomeister

elsien said:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1133262/Free_school_meals.pdf

Thanks but  that that info doesn't seem to be there.

marcia_

 Pretty sure its earned income so benefits are not included. 

poppy12345

Providing there's no entitlement to working tax credits then you will be entitled to FSM if  annual earnings are less than £16,190. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/free-school-meals

Spoonie_Turtle

The government PDF only mentions 'earnings threshold' in relation to UC.  For CTC it consistently says 'gross income'.
Presumably that does not include any non-taxable income such as DLA or the CTC you receive, but it might include Carers Allowance because that is taxable.

Does your most recent award notice tell you what your gross income was, and does it tell you what that included?

The document refers to a checking system that local authorities can use, if you still aren't sure after trying to look into it.

Alice_Holt

I'm fairly sure DLA would not be included.

Yamor

Entitlement depends on the income figure used by tax credits to calculate the award of tax credits. So, the tax credits rules will apply. That means DLA and CTC would not be included, but CA would. But it’s important to realise that they will look at the figure used by tax credits, not the “real” income figure.

It’s also worth noting that if a child is entitled at any point after 1 April 2018, then they will continue to be entitled until at least March 2025, even if they would otherwise have lost entitlement due to a rise in income.