Hull City Council is launching a campaign this summer to ensure eligible families benefit from free school meals, potentially saving households up to £300 per year.
As part of the campaign, 1,693 letters will be sent to parents and guardians during the school holidays. These letters will target families who, according to Council Tax Reduction records, may qualify for free school meals but are not currently receiving them for their children.
The campaign aims to simplify the process for families by using existing data to check eligibility and automatically register qualifying children for free school meals.
Similar campaigns have been delivered in other parts of the UK and resulted in increased access to free school meals for families, as well as increased central government funding for schools.
Councillor Linda Tock, the portfolio holder for Children’s Services at Hull City Council, said: “We know that free school meals can make a real difference to families, both financially and in terms of supporting children’s education.
“By launching this initiative, we hope to remove barriers and ensure that no child misses out on the support they are entitled to.
“This campaign is about making it easier for families and helping schools access the funding they need to support all school children.”
Families who are found to be eligible will be notified by letter before the end of the summer holidays, and the council will inform schools of any newly eligible pupils.
No action is required from parents who are happy to be included in the automatic eligibility check. However, parents and guardians who object to their information being used for this purpose will be given contact information to opt-out.
Those who prefer to apply manually or who were not contacted but believe they may be eligible can still apply through the Hull City Council website or by contacting the free school meals team directly at fsm@hullcc.gov.uk or 01482 300 300.
