School Clothing Grants, Free School Meals & Milk
Families on low incomes may be eligible to receive help towards the cost of school clothing, and also free school meals and milk for their children.
We hope to start accepting applications for the 2025/2026 academic year in June 2025, please keep checking this page for updates. Only applications for the current 2024/2025 academic year can be accepted at this time.
All children in primary 1 to primary 5 will receive automatic universal free school lunches, regardless of financial circumstances, however families who are in receipt of the above benefits should complete an application to ensure their child receives free milk and a clothing grant. All children in nursery are also entitled to automatic universal free school lunches but are not entitled to a school clothing grant. An application is not required for children at nursery.
Free school lunches came into effect from 16 August 2021 for nursery pupils, and primary 5 pupils were included from 06 January 2022.
How to apply
If you require help completing an application you can email the Families and Young Peoples Advice Service fypas@westlothian.gov.uk who would be happy to assist.
Please note: you cannot apply for a School Clothing Grant for home educated children
Application Process
We aim to assess all applications within 2 weeks of receipt and we will notify you of our decision by email. However, we may require extra time to assess if demand is high, this is usually between June and the schools returning in August. If your child has been granted free school meals and milk their school will be automatically advised. Normally, clothing grants will be paid into your specified bank account within 7 days of our assessment.
How much clothing grant will I receive?
The current grants are £150 for each primary school aged pupil and £180 for pupils of secondary school age.
Students staying at school over the school leaving age will not be eligible for a clothing grant however they may apply for EMA payments Education Maintenance Allowance
Families and Young Peoples Advice Service
Please use this link if you would like a financial health check and support to make sure your income is maximised www.westlothian.gov.uk/families-financial-support
Additional Financial Support
Meal payments during the Easter 2025 school holidays
A payment of £3 per day per child will be paid for any child in P1 to P5 who received a School Clothing Grant or children in P6 and above if the child is in receipt of Free School Meals due to low income. The payment is made into the same bank account the School Clothing Grant was paid into unless you have told us otherwise. A payment of £33 per child will be made into bank accounts on Friday 28 March 2025 to cover the period from 07 April to 21 April 2025.
Data Protection law gives you a number of rights including the right to make a complaint about the handling of your personal information. Complaints should be submitted to the Information Commissioner's Office or the Council's Data Protection Officer. Further details can be found on the Data Protection Section of our website.
