Data sharing to support free school meal rollout

The Scottish Government has proposed new regulations which would see local authorities get data so they can ensure eligible pupils receive their free school meals.

The proposed new regulations would see Social Security Scotland given new powers, allowing them to share Scottish Child Payment data with local authorities.

The latest phase of the free school meals programme will include all pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment in Primaries 6 to 7 and S1-S3 in eight local authority areas.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Free school meals are a crucial element of the Scottish Government’s ambition to eradicate child poverty, and the provision is currently available to over 273,000 pupils across Scotland, saving families who take up the offer around £400 per child per year.

“The next phase of the rollout will significantly build upon this, with an additional 25,000 pupils being able to benefit from this vital provision. Through further support for data sharing, local authorities will be able to more quickly identify those eligible for this next phase.

“That is why we have proposed these changes to streamline the process to help more families and remove any administrative burden for local authorities. I would encourage members of the Committee to back these proposals to ensure more families can easily access the support they need.”