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<i>From OIC updates on Facebook:</i><br>
For the third year running, Christmas will come early for many of
Orkney’s most vulnerable families with a direct payment totalling
£260 for every child entitled to free school meals.<br>
The Council-administered Scottish Government Bridging Payment, which
will benefit 249 children in Orkney from P1-S6 (nursery children are
not eligible), will be paid directly to families before Christmas
and those receiving it will be able to use it for whatever they
need.<br>
This payment is per child and for those families on a low income
only – so a family with three eligible children will receive £780.<br>
Children who receive a free school meal through the universal
provision are not entitled to this payment.<br>
The Council is urging folk to check to see if they may now be
eligible for free school meals.<br>
No application for the payment is required if children are already
in receipt of free school meals due to low income.<br>
Applications for free school meals can be made online via MyOrkney
at <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.orkney.gov.uk/School-Benefit">www.orkney.gov.uk/School-Benefit</a> or call the Council's Customer
Services team on 01856873535 for a paper application form.<br>
The Council is continuing to make payments towards the cost of meals
throughout the Christmas and Easter holiday periods in 2022/2023 and
for the last teacher’s strike day for those eligible at the schools
that were closed. All payments will be made at the same time.<br>
For the full story check here:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.orkney.gov.uk/News?postid=6848">https://www.orkney.gov.uk/News?postid=6848</a>.
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