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Universal Credit: Free School Meals and Health Start Scheme

Asked by Jayne KirkhamLabour (Co-op)Department for Work and PensionsTabled Answered 29 April 2025UIN 47101

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of registering eligible households for (a) free school meal and (b) NHS Healthy Start entitlements through the Universal Credit system.

Answered by Sir Stephen Timms

No such assessment has been made. The Universal Credit system permits Department for Education to check eligibility for Free School Meals and Department of Health and Social Care to check a citizen’s entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers.

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