Free College Meals
Free meals are targeted at disadvantaged students. Free meals in FE defines disadvantage as students being in receipt of, or having parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC))
- Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- UC with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 for each year (after tax and not including any benefits they get)
Students aged 16-18 who meet one of the above criteria and students aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or are a 19+ continuer, and meet the criteria, will be awarded credit on their student ID card to help towards the cost of a meal whilst at College.
The student ID cards can be swiped in the refectory to purchase a hot meal. There is no cash alternative.
The College is dedicated to promoting healthy eating as part of an active lifestyle - please click the links below to find out more about the importance of nutrition and how to include it in your daily food intake:
- NHS Change for Life
- NHS Healthy Eating
Medway Foodbank | Helping Local People in Crisis Medway foodbank provides three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred in crisis. Please note you must have a foodbank voucher to receive help from the foodbank.
Maidstone Food Bank Maidstone have several distribution centres. Please note you must have a foodbank voucher to receive help from the foodbank.
