Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria the Government will use to determine eligibility for free school meals after the roll-out of universal credit.

My Department is working closely with DWP, other government departments and other interested parties to establish new criteria for determining entitlement to benefits-related free school meals (FSM) as the roll-out of universal credit (UC) progresses. No decision has been taken yet; our proposals on this matter will be announced in due course.

As an interim measure, all pupils whose parents are in receipt of UC are currently entitled to FSM.