Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consideration he has given to the potential merits of notifying Universal Credit claimants of their eligibility for free school meals via online journal entries.

The Department is committed to ensuring that people receiving Universal Credit can access the support to which they may be entitled. Eligibility rules for Free School Meals are the responsibility of the Department for Education in England, with eligibility determined using Universal Credit information where appropriate.

The Department keeps its communications with Universal Credit claimants under regular review, including the information provided through digital channels such as the Universal Credit journal. However, no decision has been taken to introduce routine journal notifications relating to potential Free School Meals entitlement.

The journal is primarily used to communicate information relevant to the administration of a claimant’s Universal Credit award and is not generally used to provide speculative notifications about possible entitlement to support administered by other organisations.

Claimants can access information about additional support that may be available alongside Universal Credit, including Free School Meals, through existing guidance and application routes provided by the relevant authorities.