Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Main menu
Page menu
Parents
Nutrition and school lunches
Your child could qualify for free lunches or milk, or be given free fruit and vegetables at school. Local authorities must provide free lunches for eligible pupils, paid-for meals where requested and good facilities and supervision so pupils can eat safely.
School lunches
All food provided by local authorities must meet national nutritional standards. These ensure that children are provided with a healthy, balanced diet. The new standards, introduced in September 2006, require the following:
- high-quality meat, poultry or oily fish regularly available
- at least two portions of fruit and vegetables with every meal
- bread, other cereals and potatoes regularly available
Additionally, there are controls on the following foods:
- deep-fried food limited to no more than two portions per week
- fizzy drinks, crisps, chocolate and other confectioneries removed from school meals and vending machines.
Further standards for food other than lunch were introduced in September 2007.
If the school's budget includes an amount for lunches and refreshments it is the governors' responsibility to provide free and paid-for meals facilities and to meet the nutritional standards.
Free school lunches
Parents do not have to pay for school lunches if they receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit, provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue & Customs) that does not exceed £16,040
- Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment finishes or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week
Children who receive Income Support or income-based Job Seeker's Allowance in their own right qualify as well. All pupils who do not qualify for free school lunches must be charged the same amount for the same quantity of the same item.
Apply for free school lunches
Your local authority is responsible for providing free school lunches. To apply for free school lunches click on the link below, enter details of where you live and you will be taken to your local authority website where you can find out more and/or apply online.
Packed lunches
To help you pack a healthy balanced lunch for your child, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the School Food Trust (SFT) have produced a list of tips and suggestions.
Milk
Local authorities are not obliged to provide milk to pupils, but if they choose to do so, it must be free to those pupils who qualify for free lunches. Where schools choose to provide milk for pupils, the duty to provide free milk to eligible pupils is transferred to the governing bodies of former grant-maintained schools and grant-maintained special schools.
European Community subsidy rules allow local authorities and schools to offer nursery and primary school pupils a maximum of 250 ml of subsidised milk a day. Under the Welfare Food Scheme, run by the Department of Health, under fives are eligible for free school milk. Claims should be made through your local authority.
Free fruit and vegetables in school
The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme is a national government programme which gives all children aged four to six in infant, primary and special local authority maintained schools a free piece of fruit or vegetable each school day.
If your child's school has chosen to take part in the scheme, your child will be given a free piece of fruit or vegetable at school each day.
More useful links
Additional links
The quickest route to the school gate
Find the best route to school whether you're walking or travelling by train, car or bus
