Call to Peterborough parents to take up free school meal offer

The education team, led by Jonathan Lewis, service director for education, said: “I’m very proud of the way our staff are reacting to the current emergency – most of them miss their kids very much and are looking forward to seeing them again when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

“If parents have already applied for a free school meal entitlement, then they do not need to so again.

“For those families who are really struggling, the schools may have other help available to them and it should be very quick for them to apply and find out what help is available.”

Here are the details of how to apply for the Peterborough City Council free school meal entitlement:

If your circumstances have changed and you believe that you now meet the following criteria:

. Income Support; Income Based Job Seekers Allowance; Income-related Employment and Support Allowance; Child Tax Credit – but no element of Working Tax Credit – and have an annual income (as assessed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)) that does not exceed £16,190; If you are supported under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; Guarantee element of State Pension Credit; Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after your employment finishes or after you start to work less hours per week; Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (as from 1 April 2018).

Then please complete an online application to receive an instant response:

www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals

If you have previously applied or had been eligible for free school meals, you need not re-apply, as the council will continue to re-check your entitlement each month and will notify you should you become re-eligible.

While schools remain closed, they are continuing to support eligible families with provision to help ease the burden during this difficult time. This support may be in the form of packed lunches, food parcels or food vouchers. Once your eligibility has been confirmed, your child’s school will inform you of their own specific provision arrangements directly.

If you have any queries in relation to free school meals entitlement email your child’s school.Robert Alexander, Local Democracy Reporting Service