Providing free school meals to families with no recourse to public funds (NRPF) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The DfE have permanently extended free school meal eligibility to children in all households with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to maximum income thresholds. Schools and local authorities are not able to use the eligibility checking system (ECS) to confirm eligibility for these families as the family will not be in receipt of Universal Credit or legacy benefits.

The eligible groups include, but may not be limited to children of:

• Zambrano carers
• families who have no recourse to public funds with a right to remain in the UK on grounds of private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights
• families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are also subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• a subset of failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Chen carers
• families holding a BN(O) passport
• spousal visa holders
• work visa holders
• student visa holders
• those with no immigration status

Please see the link above for examples of the documents that can be provided as evidence of the parent’s status.

The maximum income threshold is dependent upon where the family lives and the number of children that the family has.

Under the permanent extension of free school meal eligibility to all NRPF groups, the annual household income thresholds for those families able to work are:

• £22,700 for families outside of London with 1 child
• £26,300 for families outside of London with 2 or more children
• £31,200 for families within London with 1 child
• £34,800 for families within London with 2 or more children

Whether or not a family will be considered within the London or the outside London threshold will be determined by the families address. If the family is living within the local authority of one of the 33 London boroughs, the London thresholds will apply. If the family does not live within one of these local authorities, the outer London thresholds will apply. The DfE have given examples of the documents the parents could provide to prove their annual income, please see the link above.

School colleagues should record eligible free school meals pupil who qualify through the NRPF criteria in the termly school census, in the same way as all other free school meals pupils. However, these pupils are not covered by the Transitional Protection and will only remain eligible for free school meals as long as the parents fulfil the eligibility criteria above.

All evidence of the application including the self-declaration and any supporting documentation should be retained securely for the usual audit purposes. The DfE have produced an application form that can be provided to parents when they apply. Please see the link above. As a parent’s situation may change over the course of the year, it is advised that schools re-check parent’s eligibility at least once a term.