Free School Meals
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you receive any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or carer, can also get free school meals.
Your child may also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both:
- younger than the compulsory age for starting school
- in full-time education
If your child is eligible for free school meals, they will remain eligible until they finish the phase of schooling they are in on 31 March 2022.
For more information please visit https://www.togetherforchildren.org.uk/families/free-school-meals
Biddick Academy Access Fund
The Access Fund is a discretionary source of financial help available to all registered students. The aim of the fund is to help students who have difficulty in paying for:
- Curriculum trips and visits
- Uniform, shoes or PE Kit
- Other materials or equipment required for their academic studies
- Expenses to attend seminars, interviews or work experience placements
- Emergency travel expenses
Payments from the Fund are discretionary and if awarded do not need to be repaid.
Who can apply?
The Academy will consider applications from the following groups of students:
- students living alone outside the family home
- students in receipt of free school meals
- students in families with very low incomes
- students with disabilities
- students who are or have been in care/foster care
- students who have been subject to other exceptional circumstances Your children may be eligible for grants from the support fund if:
- A household income of below £25,000
- A student whose parents are currently claiming other means-tested benefits including Income Support, Working Tax Credit/ Child Tax Credit, Income Based Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Universal Credit
- At the decision of the Headteacher, any student who does not fall under the categories listed above, but consider themselves to be in financial hardship
As there are only limited funds, we have to make sure that grants reach those most in need of support. The more information that you can provide regarding your circumstances, whether they are long standing or short term, can help us decide how the funds should be most suitably distributed.
What evidence is required?
We don’t formally ask for evidence for this application, a completed application form that details the family circumstances and household income is usually all that is required to make a decision. We might contact you for more information. All forms, correspondence and communication is dealt with in the strictest confidence by the Director of Business & Finance (Mr Carr).
How to apply to the Access Fund
An application form for the type of support required, along with a letter detailing the family circumstances should be made through the Director of Business & Finance (Mr Carr). The application will remain confidential and will be considered by senior staff given their knowledge of the student’s circumstances. If approved the application will be authorised, verified and transaction completed.
Please click the below link to download the application form and send to Mr Carr via the email address below, or alternatively contact Mr Carr to obtain a paper copy.