Free school meals

All primary school children at a state school in Hounslow get free school meals automatically.

This is under the Mayor of London's free school meals programme and is for the full academic year starting September 2025.

You do not need to apply for the Mayor's free school meals programme.

Additional support

Additional support is available for eligible primary and secondary school children.

You need to apply for additional support as it is not given automatically.

Additional support for primary school children is:

  • our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme during summer, Easter and Christmas holidays
  • extra government funding for your child's school (worth £1,300 per year) to support enrichment and additional support

Additional support for secondary school children is:

  • free school meals
  • our Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme during summer, Easter and Christmas holidays
  • extra government funding for your child's school (worth £1,300 per year) to support enrichment and additional support

Eligibility

You may be entitled to additional support if either:

  • you are being supported by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)
  • you have no recourse to public funds (NRPF)
  • your household receives either:
    • Income Support
    • income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
    • income-related Employment and Support Allowance
    • Universal Credit with a household income of less than £7,400 per year after tax and not including any benefit you receive. This equates to a net earned monthly income of £616 or below.
    • Child Tax Credit, provided you are not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
    • the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit

Before you apply

You should apply to the school directly if your child attends:

You don't need to apply if your child is already receiving additional support. Your entitlement continues until 31 August 2026.

When you apply

You will need to provide:

  • your name and address
  • your child or children's:
    • name
    • date of birth
    • school
  • your National Insurance number or National Asylum Support Service number

You must complete the application in a single visit. There is no way to save progress and return to your application.

Apply for free school meals or additional support

Enquiries

If you have an enquiry relating to the Mayor of London's initiative to provide free school meals, visit: Mayor of London website - Free school meals.

To make an enquiry about your eligibility or application with us:

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