Free School Meals For More Highland Pupils
5th December 2009
The Highland Council is urging parents and carers in the Highlands not to waste their cash but to take advantage of the fact that more people are now entitled to free school meals.
Chairman of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie said: "The eligibility criteria for free school meals and school clothing has been extended, and this means that some people who were previously not entitled may now be. There is money to be saved out there if only people would accept it."
The Scottish Government extended free meal entitlement throughout Scotland in August 2009.
Parents or carers who are in receipt of both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit, and have an income below the threshold for receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit, currently set by the UK Government at £6,420, are now entitled to free school lunches.
Councillor Fernie urged people with children at Highland schools to reconsider if their circumstances have changed or if they are eligible to claim.
Free school meals and assistance with school clothing can be claimed if parents/carers are receiving any one of the following:
· Income Support (which includes Guarantee Pension Credit); or
· Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance; or
· Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance; or
· Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £16,040 (as assessed by the Inland Revenue); or
· Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £6,420 (as assessed by the Inland Revenue).
· Pupils who are 16 - 18 yrs old and receive any of these benefits in their own right can then claim for themselves.
· Asylum seekers receiving support under part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999 are also eligible for free school meals and assistance with school clothing.
Application forms and information sheets are available at Council Service Points, through local schools or on the council's website at: www.highland.gov.uk
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
The Service Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December, re-opening on Friday 27 December (opening times 8am to 5pm). It will be closed on 1 and 2 January and open 8am to 5pm from Friday 3 January 2025.
Members have considered an update on the Council's medium term financial plan and the impact of the UK and Scottish Governments’ budgets on the coming year’s funding settlement. The position is currently looking more positive than initially planned for, however more detail needs to be worked through.
In November, The Highland Council launched a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. The Council has announced an extension to this consultation period, which will now give businesses, visitors and communities until 31 March 2025, an additional seven weeks, to take part and have their say.
In the light of the financial forecast for 2025-26, Highland Council is inviting you to tell us more in the budget preparation for the coming financial year. The budget engagement builds on extensive budget participation which took place in the winter of 2023-24.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year. The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.
Communities and Place Committee met yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2024) and Members agreed the Highland Local Child Poverty Action Report which includes actions for delivery in 2024/25. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the Council and its partners.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years. Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.
