Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will estimate the earnings of self-employed people for the purposes of calculating entitlement to free school meals.

We will assess the earnings of self-employed people based on their net earned income over a period of up to three months. Where families’ actual annualised net earned income is below the £7,400 annual threshold, their children will be eligible for free school meals. We have issued guidance to local authorities and schools to clarify this point.