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Free school meals and uniform grant

We provide free school meals to all maintained nursery and primary school pupils in Islington, but you need to register. Secondary school pupils can also receive free school meals but you need to apply.

Nursery and primary school  

Your child is entitled to free school meals if they are attending:

  • Islington Children’s centres and early years centres 

  • a children’s centre in an Islington primary school

  • North Islington, Margaret McMillan or Kate Greenaway nurseries

  • a primary school in Islington from the age of three, full time.

You must register to receive this service using the Citizens Portal below.

Secondary school 

Free school meals are available to some secondary school pupils. Your child may be eligible for free school meals if you get any of the following benefits:

  • Income Support
  • Income–based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit if your taxable income is less than £16,190 and you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit
  • the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
  • support under Section VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit

  • Universal Credit – if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 and your household income is less than £7,400 a year after tax and before benefits

Children who get paid these benefits directly, and not through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals. 

Your child might also get free school meals if you get any of these benefits and your child is both

You may be eligible if you have no recourse to public funds, see gov.uk for more details 

You must apply for this service using the citizens portal:

Apply for free school meals

Uniform grant 

If your child is an Islington resident and is eligible for free school meals, they're eligible for the uniform grant as well. We'll pay £150 to help meet the cost of school uniforms when your child transfers to secondary school from year 6. To apply, complete the school uniform application form below.

Using the Citizens Portal

Download our Citizens Portal User Journey Guide from ‘useful documents’ for step-by-step instructions for using the Citizens Portal to register or apply for free school meals. You must have a working email address to use the Citizens Portal.

If you are unable to register with the Citizens portal, please complete the relevant application form available in ‘useful documents’.

More information

For more information, please email the Free School Meals team.




  3. Data protection: We will handle your personal information in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and in accordance with the council’s Fair Processing Notice.

Useful documents