Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which families claiming universal credit will be able to claim free school meals when universal credit is fully rolled out.

Currently receipt of Universal Credit provides automatic access to a range of passported benefits, including free school meals, for all those who meet the relevant qualifying criteria. We have been working closely with other Departments to consider how they might continue to deliver these benefits to those getting Universal Credit as it is rolled out. To ensure the benefits continue to be targeted at those who need them most, we have agreed to the introduction of a system of earnings thresholds to enable the continued delivery of passported benefits under Universal Credit.

We are now working with Departments to determine the right earnings thresholds which will be introduced as claimant numbers expand from 2015/16. Decisions on the provision of those benefits, including the eligibility and verification arrangements to confirm entitlement, will remain the responsibility of the Departments that own them. In the case of free school meals this will remain with the Department for Education.