Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has held with Leicester City Council on the local economic drivers for the rise in Free School Meal eligibility.

As part of the government’s mission to tackle child poverty, the department is extending free school meals to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit from the start of the 2026/27 academic year.

As a result of this expansion, more children are now eligible for free school meals, including in Leicester. The department has engaged with local authorities across England to support the expanded entitlement and ensure eligible families can benefit from this support.