School meals
Surrey Commercial Services provide a school meals service to Surrey schools. Their website features sample menus, tips on healthy eating, job opportunities and contact details. Surrey also has information about healthy eating throughout your life and provision of milk in schools.
Paying for school meals
You can pay for school meals online. The cost is currently £1.80 per meal, but will be rising in September 2009 to £1.90 per meal for Primary, and £1.95 for a Secondary School meal.
Free school meals
You should apply to your child’s school for free school meals.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families website gives details of who is eligible for free school meals - these are children whose parents receive:
- Income Support
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (the "Guarantee Credit element")
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Children who receive these benefits in their own right are also entitled to free school meals
Please note to receive free school lunches with Child Tax Credit you must:
- receive Child Tax Credit
- not receive Working Tax Credit
- have an annual income (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) which does not exceed £16,040.
The Inland Revenue provide the necessary documents which you must show to the school to prove your eligibility. The free meals cannot be given until the proof is seen, although the school may be able to refund you for money spent from the date of your eligibility.
The Citizen's Advice Bureau also offers information and advice about claiming free school meals.
