Powys Catering/School Dinners


All pupils will use the cashless catering system to purchase school dinners. Our desire is to improve on the quality of the school meals’ service at our school and this system will enable us to achieve this goal.

This system incorporates the latest technology and eliminates the need for pupils to bring cheques and cash into the school.   The system will allow complete privacy for those pupils entitled to Free School Meals and the system will automatically allocate the appropriate accounts with the free school meal amounts. 
If you have any questions you can email:  cashless.catering@powys.gov.uk

Cost of school dinners from September 2021
School dinners are now £2.35 per day for pupils in Year 6 or below or £11.75 per week
School dinners are now £2.45 per day for pupils in Year 7 or above or £12.25 per week

The School Meals Service aims to encourage healthier eating: menus used are chosen with this aim in mind and known harmful additives are avoided. In primary schools a variety of meal options are available including traditional meals, salad and tuck.(sample menus are sent to parents/carers from time to time). 

If you are on a low income, Powys can help you with the cost of school meals for any pupil in full time education. They can also help you with clothing costs if you have a child who is moving up to Year 7 at school.

Free School Meals

If you register for free school meals, even if your child decides never to have a school lunch, you can:
  • Save up to £400 a year for each primary school child
  • Help your school and other schools in Powys to benefit from funding because you have registered
  • Registering for Free School Meals might also qualify you for other help and assistance.
  • To register is easy and confidential. You don't have to tell the school.

Who can get free meals?

To get free meals in Powys schools, the parents/carers must get one of the following:
  • Income support
  • Job seekers allowance (Income based)
  • If you are an Asylum Seeker getting support under the Immigration and Asylum Act
  • State pension guaranteed credit
  • Employment and support allowance - income based
  • Child tax credit. HM Revenue and Customs must also have worked out your household income as £16,190 a year or less. 
  • Universal Credit - as long as your annual net earnings are £7400 or less.
You can also get free school meals if you are entitled to a working tax credit 'run-on' payment for four weeks after stopping work or reducing working hours to under 16 hours a week.

A pupil must be in full time education to claim free meals. 


How to register
  • If you already get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, you don't need to fill in a form. Just contact us and we will do the rest.
  • If you're going to apply for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, we can sort out free school meals at the same time.
  • You can also just register for free school meals by completing the simple form below online and clicking submit


Pupil Development Grant - Clothing

If your child is eligible for free school meals, you may qualify for a Pupil Development Grant - Access in the following situations:
  • When the child enters year 7 in Secondary School
  • When the child enters year 10 in Secondary School
  • When the child enters Reception class in Primary School
  • When the child enters year 3 in Primary School
  • When the child is aged 4 or 11 in a special school, special needs resource base or pupil referral unit

Funding of up to £125 is available for each eligible learner except for those in year 7. Eligible learners in year 7 will be entitled to a maximum of £200.

If you are already in receipt of free school meals you do not need to apply for the grant

Powys staff will check all current free school meal awards to establish if each child is eligible for the grant payment. New free school meal applications will also be checked for grant eligibility.

Not every child receiving free school meals is eligible for the grant.

The grant is payable to help with the cost of school uniform, equipment, sports kit and kit for activities outside of school.

If your child doesn't currently get free school meals, please fill in and return the application form.