Free School Meals
Free School Meals (FSM) are available to pupils/families who receive one or more of the benefits listed below.
The child must attend Bedford Academy, although they may not live in the borough.
- Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400, as assessed by earning from up to three of your most recent assessment periods)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you are 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 four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
If you feel you may be eligible for FSM, you can contact Bedford Borough Council Education Welfare Service and request an application form to be sent to you or apply online via www.bedford.gov.uk
The Academy operates a biometric cashless system for catering, for which all students are allocated an account. If your child is entitled to free school meals, a daily credit of £2.65 will be added to their account automatically, which can be used to purchase food. Any spend over £2.65 and/or the purchase of drinks must be paid for by the student by one of the methods listed in the Cashless Catering section. Please note that any underspend of the free school meal allowance will not be carried forward.
