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    • Free School Meals 

    To apply for Free School Meals, Click here: Free school meals and support | School support | London Borough of Havering or call 01708 432671
     
    A secondary school child is eligible for free school meals if their household gets Universal Credit or other listed benefit. If you live with your partner, you will both need to claim Universal Credit. You must make a joint claim for your household, even if your partner is not eligible.
     
    If you receive any of the listed benefits, from 1 September 2026 your child is eligible - regardless of your income. Once eligible, the student will receive Free School Meals for the remainder of the academic year. Eligibility will then be checked each year to confirm if your child remains entitled to meals.
     
    If your household income is £7,400 or less a year and is in receipt of the listed benefits, the Academy can also receive extra money through the Pupil Premium. How to apply for meals and support
     
    Free School Meals at EPA:
    Once free school meal entitlement has been established, a daily allowance of £2.79 is automatically credited to your child’s catering account. This can be spent biometrically at lunchtime only. Any unspent balance is then cleared and the next day’s allowance is added for the following day. If you want to top up your child’s account then you can, up to the amount of £4.50 a day (the free school meal balance will always be deducted first).
     
    In addition to lunch, EPA pays for a free breakfast each morning for all Pupil Premium students (this does not impact their daily Free School Meal total to be used at lunchtimes).
     
    Additional Community Support:
     
    Please  click here for the link to the Havering Family Services Hub.
     
    Help with Food
    Food banks can provide you with free food and other essential items. Visit Trussell Trust to find a local food bank please visit: www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank
     
    Food Bank Vouchers
    The food bank work with frontline care agencies that identify people in crisis and issue them with a food bank voucher.  There are two food banks in the borough.
     
    Harold Hill food bank- www.haroldhill.foodbank.org.uk
     
    The Food Pantry
    The link below allows anyone to sign up to become a member. Which will enable them to be able to access the Community Food Shop at the Harold Hill Community Hub on Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm - 4:30pm. Please visit the link listed below.