Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2024: equality impact assessment

Recommendations and Conclusion

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2024 have increased the maximum income level at which families will be eligible to receive free school meals, during the 2024-25 financial year, if they were previously eligible for them through being in receipt of either both Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit.

The EQIA did not identify any negative impacts under any of the protected characteristics.

The measures brought about by these Regulations will therefore prevent a potential loss of entitlement to free school meals for some families as a result of the rate of the National Living Wage being increased.

Uptake of free school meals is monitored through the annual Schools Healthy Living Survey Statistics report (School Healthy Living Survey: school meal uptake and PE provision statistics 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)), published annually in September, whilst registrations are monitored through the Pupil Census Supplementary Statistics (Pupil census supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) which is published annually in March.

The Regulations will next be reviewed when the next increase in the National Living Wage is announced.