Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 47101

Universal Credit: Free School Meals and Health Start Scheme

Tabled: 22 April 2025
Answered: 29 April 2025

Question

Jayne Kirkham

Labour (Co-op)Truro and Falmouth

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.

Answer

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.