HCL is an award-winning specialist caterer with a foundation in the education sector. We provide quality services to academies, colleges and schools whilst maintaining a clear social ethos and bringing the acumen drive and passion of a rapidly growing commercial organisation.
We are passionate about providing fresh, local and seasonal food to schools; improving the school meals service and making lunchtime an integral part of the whole school experience. We endeavour to provide dishes that are not only popular with students but will also comply with healthy eating standards and guidelines. We like to make food fun and we encourage an inviting dining experience.
Our menus are full of tantalising and nutritious recipes. We utilise fresh and high quality raw ingredients from a supply chain with a proven track record. We deliver dishes with a focus on taste, value and reassurance of the provenance of our meals.
Free School Meals
Free School Meals
Why apply for free school meals?
- If you are eligible for free school meals, you could be saving yourself a vast amount of money a year in the cost of school meals or packed lunches.
- School lunches are an excellent source of nutrition, and are now some of the healthiest provided to school children in the world.
- A regular cooked school lunch gives children the opportunity to eat and socialise together outside of lessons and they are more likely to try new foods if they see their friends eating them.
- The old fashioned stigma associated with free school meals is a thing of the past, with schools operating cashless canteens, so there is nothing to distinguish a child using free school meals from those whose parents and carers pay for lunches.
Applying for free school meals
Children in reception or years 1 to 6
Please refer to our Primary Free School Meals page: http://www.edmontoncounty.co.uk/primary/primary-information/primary-free-school-meals/
Children in year 7 or above
If your child is in year 3 or above, to be eligible for free school meals the parent or carer must receive one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit with an annual net earned income of no more than £7,400 (£616.67 per month)
- Child Tax Credit only (with no Working Tax Credit)with an annual gross income of no more than £16,190.
- Working Tax Credit is a disqualifying benefit regardless of your household income – this means that you would not be entitled to free school meals while in receipt of Working Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
Children who get any of the above benefits directly, instead of through a parent or carer, can also apply for free school meals.
To apply, save the free school meals application form (PDF, 191.35 KB) to your device, fill in your details, and then email as an attachment to freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.
You don’t need to provide evidence of your benefit when you submit your form. However we may write to you for further information or to request certain evidence.