Apply for school grants
Applications for 2024-25
Most families who receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction will be awarded school grants automatically if they meet the eligibility criteria. We will write to these families before mid-June.
Families who do not receive an automatic award can then apply for school grants for the 2024-25 academic year, in June 2024.
Applications for 2023-24
Applications have closed, however if you wish to apply for free school meals only for the remainder of the current school year, please contact us for an application form.
What you get
Families on low income can get school grants to help with the cost of lunches and school clothing.
All children in primary 1 to 5 and special schools receive free school meals, regardless of your income or benefit status. However, if you match the conditions for free school meals on the Scottish Government website you will be eligible to receive
- free school meals for your children in P6, P7 and in secondary school
- payment for lunches during school holidays
- free milk or healthy snack
- a school clothing grant payment of £120 for each primary child and £150 for each secondary child, paid once a year into your bank account.
You can receive this for your children attending primary and secondary schools, but it is not available to children in early years settings.
School grants are valid for one school year. The entitlement ends if your child leaves school before the end of the school year.
We pay clothing grants between July until 31 March the following year. Only one Clothing Grant is paid per child.
Most clothing grants are paid throughout July and August before the new school year begins. However, if your child is above the age for compulsory education (over 16 years of age on 30 September), the clothing grant will not be paid until the school confirm they have returned after the summer holiday.