Written Question·Department for Work and Pensions·UIN 47208
Universal Credit: Free School Meals and Healthy Start Scheme
Tabled: 23 April 2025
Answered: 29 April 2025
Named DayQuestion
Mary Glindon
Labour — Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of using the Universal Credit system to automatically register eligible households for (a) free school meals and (b) the NHS Healthy Start sche
Answer
Sir Stephen TimmsNo such assessment has been made. The Universal Credit system permits Department of Health and Social Care to check a citizen’s entitlement to Healthy Start vouchers, and Department for Education to check eligibility for Free School Meals.