Your Financial To Do List

See information for families on:

• Free school meals

Free School Meals (FSM) are available to children whose parents or who themselves are in receipt of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income based job seekers allowance
• Child Tax Credit with an annual income less than £16,190 (you are not entitled if you also receive Working Tax Credit)
• Income-related Employment Support allowance
• The guarantee element of state pension credit
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Universal Credit ( with a monthly net earned income not more that £616.67)

If you are not already receiving Free School Meals and think that you might be eligible, go to the Torfaen Council Website and download a form or call into your local council offices for assistance.

• School uniform grant

Get £125 to buy school uniform, equipment, sports kit and kit for activities outside of school for your child.

Learners eligible for free school meals can apply for this grant if they are:

• entering reception class or year 3 in primary school
• entering year 7 or year 10 in secondary school
• aged 4, 7, 11 or 14 in special schools, special needs resource bases or pupil referral units

For Year 7 learners the grant is £200, recognising the increased costs associated with starting secondary school.

Funding for looked-after children is available in every school year.

To apply for this grant please Torfaen Council Website and download a form or call into your local council offices for assistance.

• Warm home discount

Warm Home Discount worth £140 for households on low income / in receipt of certain benefits –contact your energy supplier to check your eligibility or contact Citizens Advice Warmer Wales Advisor on 01633 876121

Please note if you are a Utilita customer, applications for the Warm Home Discount need to be submitted between 7-14^th August 2019

• Tax credits information

https://www.gov.uk/renewing-your-tax-credits-claim

If you are claiming Tax Credits, you should have by now received your renewal pack.  It will tell you how to renew your tax credits.

You must renew your tax credits by 31 July 2019 if your renewal pack has a red line across the first page and it says ‘reply now’.

If you miss the deadline your tax credits payments will stop. You’ll be sent a statement and will have to pay back the tax credits you’ve been given since 6 April 2019.

When you do not need to renew

If your renewal pack says, ‘check now’, check your details to make sure they’re correct.

You do not need to do anything if your details are correct. Your tax credits will be automatically renewed.

You must tell HMRC by 31 July 2019 if your circumstances have changed or anything in your pack is incorrect. Your tax credits could stop, or you may have to pay a penalty if you do not.

You will not get a renewal pack until April 2020 if you first claimed tax credits after 6 April 2019.