Subject: Invitation to apply for Universal Free School Meals
Parents or guardians of a Primary 6 or 7 pupil, may be eligible for Universal Free School Meals, subject to receiving the Scottish Child Payment.
Currently all children in Primary 1 to 5 receive free school meals during term time, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. Starting from February 2025, the Scottish Government is extending universal free school meals to pupils in Primary 6 (P6) and Primary 7 (P7).
Who Qualifies?
To qualify, you must be in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment for your child(ren). You can find out more about the Scottish Child Payment eligibility here: Scottish Child Payment – mygov.scot
How do I apply for Universal Free School Meals?
Please complete this short application: Application for universal free school meals
Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation email that tells you what you need to do next.
How will my child receive the free school meal?
Primary school pupils who qualify for this entitlement will be provided with a free school meal. There is an online payment system in schools that will recognise when a child is entitled. Though payments are not required, we encourage parents and carers to register for school payments so they can view the daily meal choices a pupil is making.
Will my child be eligible for a school clothing grant?
No, only those pupils who receive free school meals based on low-income criteria will qualify for a school clothing grant. You can find out more about the low-income criteria here: Free school meals – Aberdeenshire Council
Will I receive holiday payments outside of term time?
No, only those pupils who receive free school meals based on low-income criteria will qualify for holiday payments.
How long will my application take to process?
We aim to process all applications as swiftly as possible. As soon as your application has been assessed and verified, we will contact you by email to notify you of the outcome. Due to the possible high demand, we kindly ask you to refrain from calling or emailing to check on the status of your application, as this will only distract our resources from processing applications. Please be assured that we deal with all applications in date order of receipt to ensure fairness to all applicants.
If I qualify, when will my entitlement begin?
Your entitlement will begin on the day that you receive your award email.
Will I be required to apply again in the future?
We will contact you by email if you need to reapply at the beginning of a new academic year.
I have a child or children in Primary 5 who will be starting Primary 6 after the summer break. What should I do?
You do not have to do anything at this time. We will be contacting all parents and guardians with children in Primary 5 before the start of the new academic year, inviting them to apply.
Free school meals – Aberdeenshire Council
