School Meals All learners in Full-Time Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will receive a free school meal each day through the Universal Free School Meals policy of Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru’s Co-operation Agreement. Parents do not need to register or complete an application.

School meals for learners in Years 3-6 will be charged at a rate of £2.65 per day. Pupils will order all school meals as usual during morning registration.

Please use the Pembrokeshire County Council website ‘Cashless catering’ section to pay for meals.

Please contact cashless.catering@pembrokeshire.gov.uk if your child’s account is in credit and you want to request a refund or to transfer their balance to a sibling’s account.

Free School Meals

Free school meals will only be provided for pupils who receive or whose parents receive one of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IBJSA). Contribution Based Jobseekers Allowance (CBJSA) does not qualify
• Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credits only, with an annual household Income of under £16,190 *
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Income Related Employment and Support Allowance (IR)
• Universal Credit

Please note that if you are in receipt of Working Tax Credits in addition to any of these benefits you will not be eligible for free meals, even if your household income is below £16,190*.

* As a guide, an applicant's annual household income is usually stated on a TC602 Tax Credits Summary/Award Notice.

Application forms are available from:

• your Childs’s school
• Pembrokeshire County Council’s Customer Service Centres at Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest;
• by telephoning 01437 764551;
• by writing to Revenue Services, County Hall, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP.

If you wish to claim free school meals for more than one child, only one form needs to be submitted, even if the children are attending different schools within Pembrokeshire.

You will be required to provide current proof of qualifying benefit with the application form, even if you are applying for renewal of free meals. Free meals cannot be granted until the relevant proof of entitlement has been submitted.

Free school meals are awarded for one year and should be renewed annually. Where entitlement to free school meals expires on the last day of the Summer term, renewal applications should be returned by 31st July to ensure that they can be granted by the beginning of the Autumn term.

Pembrokeshire County Council does not grant free meals for pupils attending schools outside Pembrokeshire, or for students at college. Pupils living in Pembrokeshire and attending schools in other counties should apply to the local authority maintaining the school.

Online Payments

Your child/children will be issued with a School Meals Account number. This number can then be used to make a payment online via the Pembrokeshire County Council My Account online facility.

This is the easiest and most convenient method of payment.

Benefits include:

• Top up your child’s account at a time to suit you
• Check your balance online
• Itemised transaction summary available on a daily basis
• No need to find cash

Please note that online payments won’t be credited to your child’s account until the following day.

Telephone Payments

• Call the County Council’s Contact Centre on 01437 764551
• You will need to have your child /children’s account number and your debit or credit card.
• The contact centre staff will then ask you how much you want to pay and then for you card details.
• You will be provided with a verbal receipt number.

The Contact Centre is open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday.

Customer Service Centre

You can pay in person by visiting the Council's Customer Service Centre at County Hall or at Argyle street cash office in Pembroke Dock.

1. Call in to the cash desk
2. The Cashier will need your child/ children’s account number.
3. You will be asked how much you want to pay.
4. You can pay by debit or credit card, cheque, or cash.
5. You will receive a printed receipt.

The Customer Service Centre is open 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday.