Free school meals are not classed as a 'public fund' for immigration purposes and can be accessed by a child regardless of their immigration status when their family meets the qualifying requirements, or they are provided universally.
Free school meals are available to all children in Scotland between primary 1 and primary 5, and who are attending a school run by the local authority or funded by the Scottish government.
Eligible groups can access free school meals from primary 6 and upwards such as when the family are on a low income and in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits. A child or family will be eligible if:
The qualifying benefits are:
Where a child is aged 16-18 and in full-time education, they may qualify for free school meals if they themselves are in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
Free school lunch provision may still be available to a child who does not qualify for free school meals, for example where the parent cannot access the qualifying benefits because of the NRPF condition or the family are in receipt of section 4 asylum support. Local authorities receive funding through the Pupil Equity Fund to tackle poverty and improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged children and can use this funding to provide assistance on a discretionary basis. A family who has no recourse to public funds and who does not qualify for free schools should contact their local council for more information.
See the Scottish government website for more information on free school meals in Scotland.
