School Uniform Grants

Because of the current difficult economic situation, we will offer a School Uniform Grant of £150 for children living in Islington who are transferring from primary to secondary school in September and whose parents receive a low income.

This grant is available only for those who are resident in Islington and are eligible for free school meals under the government’s eligibility criteria.

National free school meal entitlement is assessed on your receipt of one of the following incomes:

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Child Tax Credit only, with an annual income of no more than £16,190 (as assessed by the Inland Revenue) and no Working Tax Credit
• Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
• support by the National Asylum Support Service (NASS)
• support by a local authority Social Services Asylum Team (SSAT)
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Where a parent is entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four weeks immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work for less than 16 hours/wk
• Children who receive any of the qualifying benefits listed above in their own rights are also eligible

If your child currently receives or is entitled to receive Free School Meals under the national criteria above and your application has not expired by 1 June 2011, you do not need to take any further action and a cheque will be sent to your home address in mid June 2011.

In mid June 2011 we will send a cheque for £150 to the home address of all children due to transfer to secondary school in September 2011 who are assessed as eligible to receive Free School Meals on 1 June 2011.

If you think that you may be eligible to receive Free School Meals but have not yet been assessed, or if your assessment is, or will be, out of date by 1 June 2011, you must make an application (or reapply) before 31 May 2011 to qualify for this school uniform grant

You can download a free school meals application form here, or pick one up at your child's school. 

If your child attends a school outside of Islington, you should contact the Free School Meals team in Islington with written confirmation of your eligibility to receive free school meals from your child’s school. We will then process your School Uniform Grant payment.

Please be advised that there are no facilities for the Council to make cash payments. The cheque will be made payable to the parent named on your Free School Meal application form. If you wish the cheque to be made payable to an alternative bank account holder, you must provide us with written details before 30 May 2011. They should be sent to:

Cambridge Education @ Islington
Free School Meals Team
222 Upper Street
London N1 1XR

Email: esther.adeleye.camb-ed@islington.gov.uk or
stephanie.wilby.camb-ed@islington.gov.uk

 

If you have any queries or need any further advice you can call the Free School Meals team on 0207 527 5483/4336.