Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether children with complex needs who are home educated are eligible to receive free school meals.

Free meals are available to registered pupils of state-funded schools meeting the eligibility criteria, either on school premises or at any place where education is provided.

The department also expects local authorities to consider free meal provision for children and young people receiving education otherwise than at school, commonly referred to as EOTAS, in accordance with Section 61 of the Children and Families Act 2014. This is set out in our published guidance.

In addition to this, all schools have duties under the Equality Act 2010 towards individual disabled children and young people. As this relates to school food provision, schools are required to make reasonable adjustment for disabled pupils to ensure they aren’t put at substantial disadvantage. Further information is available in our published guidance.