Financial support for low-income families
Financial support
The following financial support is available for people and families on low incomes or who have children entitled to free school meals - this does not include those entitled to universal provision of P1-5 meals:
- Free school meals payments during school holidays
- Free school meals weekend payments
- Free school meals strike days
For more information on the financial support available and details on how this will be paid, please access the relevant section using the buttons below.
The Scottish Government has provided the council with funding for pupils who get free school meals (excluding those entitled to universal provision of P1-5 meals) for the following school holidays:
- Spring break 2023
In line with the level of funding provided to us by the Scottish Government, the Spring break 2023 payment (covering 3 - 14 April) will be made on Friday 31 March 2023.
Payment dates for future holiday periods will be confirmed nearer the time.
Although all P1-5 pupils receive a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements the payments referred to above will only be made if you get any of the following benefits and are therefore eligible for free school meals:
- Income Support
- Universal Credit (and your earned income is less than £660 as assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions in the assessment period immediately preceding the application for free school meals)
- Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Child Tax Credit only (with a gross annual income less than £17,005 as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice TC602)
- Working Tax Credit and Child Tax credit (with a gross annual income less than £7,920) as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The payment will be made direct into your bank account using bank details we already have from making the footwear and clothing grant payments, along with the Covid-19 support payments made previously.
In exceptional circumstances we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. Who is eligible to receive a free school meal payment during the school holiday period?
A. Any household with a child or young person eligible for free school meals who get any of the benefits listed above. This includes primary, secondary and ASN schools. For more information on whether you are eligible, see the Free school meals page.
Q. Are all children in P1-P5 eligible for this payment?
A. No. Although all P1 to P5 pupils automatically get a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements you will only get this payment if you get any of the benefits listed above. For more information on eligibility see the Free school meals page.
Q. Does this payment include nursery children?
A. No, nursery aged children are currently not legally entitled to free school meals. The current statutory entitlement is 600 hours per year and does not include the provision of food.
Q. When will I receive my payments?
A. We aim to have payments issued by Friday 31 March 2023. Payment dates for future holiday periods will be confirmed nearer the time.
Q. Will I get a payment for each of my children?
A. Yes, you will receive a payment for each eligible child or young person.
Q. Do I need to apply for this payment?
A. No. The payment will be made direct into your bank account using bank details we already have from making the footwear and clothing grant payments, along with the Covid-19 support payments made previously. In exceptional circumstances we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. How long do I have to cash-in my PayPoint voucher?
A. The voucher is valid for 1 month from the date of issue.
Q. How do I redeem my PayPoint voucher?
A. Your voucher can be redeemed for cash at any PayPoint outlet, of which there are more than 100 across South Lanarkshire. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching on the PayPoint website.
Q. Can I cash my PayPoint voucher online?
A. No. PayPoint payment vouchers can only be redeemed from a PayPoint outlet. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching on the PayPoint website.
Q. I believe I should have received payment and haven’t, who do I contact?
A. You should use our enquiry form.
If you have any other questions about free school meals during school holidays use our enquiry form.
As part of a package of measures aimed at providing additional financial support to households during the current cost of living crisis, we will provide cash payments to households with children in receipt of free school meals to cover weekend days from the beginning of November 2022, up to the end of March 2023.
In line with the current level of funding provided to cover school holiday periods, payments will be made monthly, with five payments made in total covering November 2022 – March 2023.
A full breakdown of future payments is detailed below:
| Payment | Value | No. of weekends covered | Payment date |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2022 | £20 | 4 | 4 November 2022 |
| December 2022 | £20 | 4 | 2 December 2022 |
| January 2023 | £25 | 5 | 22 December 2022 |
| February 2023 | £20 | 4 | 3 February 2023 |
| March 2023 | £20 | 4 | 3 March 2023 |
The above payments are in addition to support delivered through the continuation of free school meals over the school holidays.
Although all P1 to P5 pupils receive a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements, the payments referred to above will only be made if you get any of the following benefits and are therefore eligible for free school meals:
- Income Support
- Universal Credit (and your earned income is less than £660 as assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions in the assessment period immediately preceding the application for free school meals)
- Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Child Tax Credit only (with a gross annual income less than £17,005 as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice TC602)
- Working Tax Credit and Child Tax credit (with a gross annual income less than £7,920) as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The payment will be made directly to your bank account using the details we hold for making the free school meals holiday payments, along with the footwear and clothing grant payments made previously.
In exceptional circumstances, we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. Who is eligible to receive a free school meal payment during the weekend from November 2022 – March 2023?
A. Any household with a child or young person eligible for free school meals who get any of the benefits listed above. This includes primary, secondary, and ASN schools. For more information on whether you are eligible, see the Free school meals page.
Q. Are all children in P1-P5 eligible for this payment?
A. No. Although all P1 to P5 pupils automatically get a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements you will only get this payment if you get any of the benefits listed above. For more information on eligibility see the Free school meals page.
Q. Does this payment include nursery children?
A. No, nursery-aged children are not legally entitled to free school meals. The current statutory entitlement is 600 hours per year and does not include the provision of food.
Q. When will I receive my payments?
A. We aim to have the March 2023 payments issued by Friday 3 March 2023.
Q. Will I get a payment for each of my children?
A. Yes, you will receive a payment for each eligible child or young person.
Q. Do I need to apply for this payment?
A. No. The payment will be made directly to your bank account using the details held for making the free school meal holiday payments, along with the footwear and clothing grant payments made previously. In exceptional circumstances, we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. How long do I have to cash-in my PayPoint voucher?
A. The voucher is valid for 1 month from the date of issue.
Q. How do I redeem my PayPoint voucher?
A. Your voucher can be redeemed for cash at any PayPoint outlet. There are more than 100 across South Lanarkshire. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching the PayPoint website.
Q. Can I cash my PayPoint voucher online?
A. No. PayPoint payment vouchers can only be redeemed from a PayPoint outlet. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching on the PayPoint website.
Q. I believe I should have received payment and haven’t, who do I contact?
A. You should use our enquiry form.
If you have any other questions about free school meals during the weekend from November 2022 – March 2023 use our enquiry form.
In line with the industrial action that took place on Tuesday 28 February to Wednesday 1 March 2023, a retrospective payment – for those children affected - will be made by the following date:
- Friday 31 March 2023 – £5.00 per eligible child or young person
The payment will be added to the free school meals holiday payment.
Although all P1-5 pupils receive a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements the payment referred to above will only be made if you get any of the following benefits and are therefore eligible for free school meals:
- Income Support
- Universal Credit (and your earned income is less than £660 as assessed by the Department for Work and Pensions in the assessment period immediately preceding the application for free school meals)
- Job Seekers Allowance (income based)
- Employment and Support Allowance (income related)
- Child Tax Credit only (with a gross annual income less than £17,005 as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice TC602)
- Working Tax Credit and Child Tax credit (with a gross annual income less than £7,920) as assessed by HM Revenues and Customs on your Tax Credit Award Notice (TC602)
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The payment will be made direct into your bank account using bank details we already have from making the footwear and clothing grant payments, along with the Covid-19 support payments made previously.
In exceptional circumstances we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. Who is eligible to receive a retrospective free school meal payment covering the industrial action which took place on 28 February - 1 March 2023?
A. Any affected household with a child or young person eligible for free school meals who get any of the benefits listed above. This includes primary, secondary and ASN schools. For more information on whether you are eligible, see the Free school meals page.
Q. Are all children in P1-P5 eligible for this payment?
A. No. Although all P1 to P5 pupils automatically get a free school meal in school, in line with Scottish Government funding arrangements you will only get this payment if you get any of the benefits listed above. For more information on eligibility see the Free school meals page.
Q. Does this payment include nursery children?
A. No, nursery aged children are currently not legally entitled to free school meals. The current statutory entitlement is 600 hours per year and does not include the provision of food.
Q. When will I receive my payment?
A. We aim to have payments issued by Friday 31 March 2023.
Q. Will I get a payment for each of my children?
A. Yes, you will receive a payment for each eligible child or young person.
Q. Do I need to apply for this payment?
A. No. The payment will be made direct into your bank account using bank details we already have from making the footwear and clothing grant payments, along with the Covid-19 support payments made previously. In exceptional circumstances we may pay by cheque or PayPoint voucher.
Q. How long do I have to cash-in my PayPoint voucher?
A. The voucher is valid for 1 month from the date of issue.
Q. How do I redeem my PayPoint voucher?
A. Your voucher can be redeemed for cash at any PayPoint outlet, of which there are more than 100 across South Lanarkshire. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching on the PayPoint website.
Q. Can I cash my PayPoint voucher online?
A. No. PayPoint payment vouchers can only be redeemed from a PayPoint outlet. You can find your nearest PayPoint outlet by searching on the PayPoint website.
Q. I believe I should have received payment and haven’t, who do I contact?
A. You should use our enquiry form.
If you have any other questions about this payment, please use our enquiry form.