Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the equity of the free school meal income threshold for families with no recourse to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

Earnings thresholds are used widely across government for determining eligibility for passported benefits.

The earnings threshold of £7,400 for free school meals for children with no recourse to public funds is in line with that of families who are applying as part of the standard means-tested eligibility criteria. This threshold applies for Zambrano carers, families with leave to remain under Article 8 of the European Convention for Human Rights, and those receiving support from Section 17 of the Children’s Act 1989. Families receiving support from Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act are not able to work and as such are not subject to an earnings threshold.

The government does not expect to make any further statement at this point.