Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing disabled children who are eligible for free school meals and (a) are unable to attend school due to a long-term medical condition and (b) cannot eat those meals as a result of (i) dietary requirements and (ii) sensory processing difficulties with a (A) direct payment or (B) voucher scheme instead.

​​The Education Act 1996 places a duty on maintained schools and academies to provide free school meals (FSM) to pupils of all ages that meet the criteria for eligibility and who are attending school during term time. The Act makes clear that a child must be registered at a publicly funded school as a condition of claiming FSM.​

​Local Authorities are funded to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those who are unable to attend school on a long term basis. Parents are advised to liaise with Local Authorities to consider suitable alternatives in line with the guidance on long term illnesses, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/illness-child-education.​

​The Department is always considering how it can best support children with SEND and their parents. The Department will keep its guidance on FSM under review to ensure that it is meeting user needs.