Rachel Reeves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rachel Reeves on 2016-06-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy that any children who would have been entitled to free school meals under the previous system retain that entitlement under the new eligibility criteria under universal credit.

Mr Sam Gyimah

We will continue to ensure that children from the poorest families benefit from a free school meal. My Department is continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to consider eligibility criteria for free school meals following the introduction of Universal Credit. In the meantime, any child in a family in receipt of Universal Credit will continue to be entitled to free school meals.