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The Free College Meals programme will provide free food for Further Education students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

It's for students who are aged 16-18, or 19+ and have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Students will also need to prove they, or their parents/guardians, are in receipt of one or more of the following:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
  • The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
  • Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs
  • Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
  • During the initial roll out of the benefit, Universal Credit. Universal Credit will have an income threshold (a maximum net earned income of £7,400).

Students, or their parents/guardians on their behalf, must make a successful application for free meals before they will be provided to the student.

For more details, please call 023 9232 8954 or email student.finance@highbury.ac.uk.

Check Online 

Hampshire County Council Catering Services (HC3S) has an online service so you can check your eligibility for Free Student Meals. This self-service option is available at: https://www.cloudforedu.org.uk/ofsm/fe-apply/

For the online service, all you need to do is enter your name, national insurance number or asylum number, your address and your child’s details. Press ‘submit’ and you will find out if you are eligible.

If your result comes back ‘found’, this means your child is eligible for free student meals and the system will inform the College.