Free nursery/school meals and the footwear and clothing Grant are available for parents on low income in West Dunbartonshire.
The Benefits Section within West Dunbartonshire Council deal with the award of school clothing grants and free school meals, including nursery school meals.
NOTE: Clothing grants are not available for nursery children.
Children in Primary 1-5 are automatically entitled to free school meals.
Applications must still be made for the School Clothing Grant. Also, to be entitled to receive any Scottish Government Bridging Grants you must meet the qualifying criteria for Free School Meals detailed below. These will not be paid for children whose parents or guardians do not meet this criteria.
You are eligible for free nursery/school meals and a school clothing grant if you receive the following benefits:
You are eligible for a school clothing grant only if you receive:
You are eligible for free nursery/school meals only if you receive:
or young children who are:
School Clothing Grants will not be paid for children of school leaving age, that is who will be 16 years old between 1 March and 30 September, until they return to school in the new session. However, you should include these children on your application.
For school year 2022/23 the clothing grant payment is being increased to £300 per child.
This will be paid in two £150 instalments over the academic year with the first payment being made once your application has been processed and a second payment being made around the end of December 2022.
We will automatically consider you for free nursery/school meals and / or school clothing grant if you received one last year and you get Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction. If you received a grant last year and you are not in receipt of Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction, we will require you to provide your new tax credit award letter for us to allow us make a decision.
Payment will be made by BACS (directly into your bank account). The first payments should be made in July and you should receive your payment within 2 weeks of your application being processed. If your child is of school leaving age, payment will be made when they return to school in the new session.
Completed application forms and any proof should be emailed to benefits2@west-dunbarton.gov.uk.
Please ensure that your name and current address are provided on the email and also that it is clearly marked as evidence for your clothing grant and/or free school meals application.