Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authorities are permitted to refuse access to free school meals based on the age of a child.

All children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in England's state-funded schools, including academies and free schools, are entitled to free school meals. Eligibility is based on the child’s year group rather than their age.

For benefits-based free school meals, Section 512 of the Education Act 1996, as amended, places a duty on maintained schools, academies and free schools to provide free school meals to pupils of all ages that meet the criteria.