You could save around £450 a year if your child is eligible for free school meals.

Families that currently pay for school meals can save around £450 each year for each child they have enrolled in primary school and receiving free school meals. 

If you don’t know if your child may be eligible, Peterborough City Council is urging you to check. 

Eligible families in Peterborough can also receive support again this Christmas with supermarket vouchers. 

Vouchers worth £35 will be automatically sent out to eligible families using city council and school data. 

To be eligible, a pupil must meet one of the following criteria: 

  • Early Years Pupil Premium.
  • Children eligible for income related funded two-year-old education.
  • Eligible for income-related Free School Meals.
  • Students eligible for 16+ bursary. 

Any child meeting one of the criteria above will automatically receive a voucher for the Christmas holiday. 

Children who become eligible up to January 2, 2023 will also a receive voucher to be sent when the council is told about the change in personal circumstances.  

The Christmas voucher will be issued by the end of the day on Saturday, December 17 via email and/or text to the nominated parent or carer.  

The voucher doesn’t need to be used in a single shopping trip but must be claimed by 27 January 2023. 

Cllr Lynne Ayres, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education, Skills and the University said: “I am delighted that we are able to offer this support once again.  

“It will provide families with much-needed support at what can be a very expensive time of year. 

“We also want to make sure that all families eligible for free school meals have applied and are receiving them.  

“All they need to do is fill in a simple form and they could benefit from support throughout the year at school and also during the holidays. There really is nothing to lose.” 

As cost effective as they are for you, free school meals can add up to £2000 to a school's budget.

For more information about free school meals and how to apply, please visit: Free school meals - Cambridgeshire County Council. 

All you need to apply is to give over some basic information about yourself and your national insurance.