School Meal Support for Pupils in Need (Schulessen-Zuschuss)
1. What is “BuT”?
The programme Leistungen für Bildung und Teilhabe (BuT) – also known as the “education and participation package” (Bildungspaket) – is designed to ensure that children from low-income families can take part in school and social life and are not left behind because of financial hardship (familienportal.de).
BuT offers a comprehensive range of support, including:
school or daycare hot lunches (Mittagsverpflegung),
transport costs for the way to school,
insurance costs related to school transport,
school supplies (notebooks, pens, school bag, etc.),
subsidies for cultural and sports activities,
additional learning support / tutoring (Nachhilfe),
costs of school trips and excursions – BuT can fully cover all these items (bmas.de, familienportal.de).
2. Who is eligible for school meal support?
In general, the following pupils are eligible for the school meal subsidy:
those receiving Bürgergeld (formerly Unemployment Benefit II),
housing benefit (Wohngeld),
child supplement (Kinderzuschlag),
social assistance (Sozialhilfe),
or benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act (AsylbLG) (arbeitsagentur.de).
In some federal states, pupils who do not receive any of the above benefits may still receive support if a special need / hardship can be demonstrated.
The support usually covers children and young people up to 25 years of age, as long as they are still in school or similar education and do not receive a full vocational training salary (e.g. dual Ausbildung wage).
3. What does the support cover?
The subsidy is intended for a hot, communal school meal in school, daycare (Kita) or after-school care (Hort).
All costs charged by the school or childcare centre for lunch can be covered – without any co-payment by the parents, especially in municipalities where the former flat 1 € parental contribution has been abolished (op-marburg.de).
The subsidy can apply on all regular school days on which a lunch is provided.
Depending on local rules, it covers children in Kita, Hort and school, and pupils up to 25 years of age (bmas.de).
4. Which documents are required?
| Required document | Details |
|---|---|
| Proof of BuT entitlement | e.g. current notice of Bürgergeld, Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag, etc. |
| Confirmation from school / Kita | certificate confirming participation in the communal lunch |
| Proof of identity and school attendance | student ID card, school certificate or registration confirmation |
| In case of Wohngeld or Kinderzuschlag | a separate BuT application is usually required (dgevesch-ni.de, freiburg.de) |
5. Who submits the application?
Depending on the benefit, different authorities are responsible:
for Bürgergeld: generally the Jobcenter,
for Wohngeld or Kinderzuschlag: the Wohngeld office, Familienkasse or a special BuT office (bmfsfj.de),
in some cities, the social services office (Amt für Soziales) or an education and participation office is in charge (brotzeitfuerkinder.com).
Schools and daycare centres often help by providing forms or confirming participation in the lunch scheme.
6. How is the subsidy paid?
The responsible authority (Jobcenter, Wohngeld office, etc.) issues a BuT decision (Bescheid) that explicitly states that the school meal costs will be covered.
In the next step, billing is done directly between the school/Kita and the authority, either via a voucher system or via electronic bulk invoicing.
For parents, this means in practice:
They usually do not have to pay in advance.
The money goes directly to the school or childcare centre, not to the parents.
7. Practical examples
In the district of Marburg-Biedenkopf, families receiving Wohngeld or Kinderzuschlag are integrated into the BuT scheme; the cost of school meals is covered up to a defined daily rate (e.g. less than €5 per day) – without any parental contribution (op-marburg.de).
In cities such as Stuttgart, the financing of school meals often runs automatically once Bürgergeld or Wohngeld has been approved. The school reports participation in the lunch scheme, and billing is carried out via the local Jobcenter system.
Summary
A full school lunch can in many cases be completely funded via BuT.
Eligible are mainly pupils from families receiving Bürgergeld, Wohngeld, Kinderzuschlag, Sozialhilfe or who are otherwise in proven need.
Parents generally pay no direct costs for the subsidised lunch; billing is handled directly with the school or Kita.
The application process is relatively straightforward, provided the necessary benefit notice and school confirmation are available.
The editorial team of this website strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. Nevertheless, errors or non-verified details cannot be completely ruled out. The contents of this article should therefore be regarded as an initial point of reference; for binding and up-to-date information, please always contact the competent authorities and professional advisory services.
