The Department of Education (DE) and Department of Communities (DfC) announced on Friday 27th March that families eligible for free school meals will receive payments direct to their back accounts. The payments will start to be made this week, will be paid on a fortnightly basis and will continue over the Easter holidays. Families do not need to apply.
DE will be texting a small percentage of families for whom they don’t hold bank details to direct them to a form on their website. There, you will be asked to provide your bank details so payments can be made.