Free school meals: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

The Programme for Government 2023 states that the Scottish Government will:

Work with COSLA in the coming year to prepare schools and infrastructure for the expansion of universal free school meal provision to Primary 6 and Primary 7 pupils, starting with those in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment....

The Scottish Government's free school meal programme has been delivered in phases since 2016 with 2 remaining phases to be delivered. We are currently working with local authorities on delivery to those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in primaries 6 and 7, as the 4^th phase. The final phase (phase 5) would be to deliver universal provision to primaries 6 and 7 however due to the challenging fiscal position ministers have made the difficult decision to delay the universal phase of implementation to primary 6 and 7 pupils. However, ministers have made it clear that should funding become available, that steps to deliver this phase would be taken.

It is considered that not expanding free school meals on a universal basis to primary 6 and 7 pupils would have a neutral impact. This is because there has not been delivery of universal free school meals to primary 6 and 7 pupils as a result of the national commitment to this phase of expansion. However, it is acknowledged that the positive impacts that would have been delivered for primary 6 and 7 pupils who are neither eligible for free school meals on the basis of their families eligibility under the criteria set out within the 1980 Act, nor as a result of eligibility for Scottish Child Payment will not now materialise at this time.

Work to deliver the next phase of delivery of free school meals to those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in primaries 6 and 7 is underway and it is expected that this phase will help mitigate the impact of the policy decision on delaying roll out of universal provision to this group. There is also no intention to alter eligibility to access free school meals as a result of criteria under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (the 1980 Act) and therefore support to families via this route will remain in place and therefore lessen the impact of the decision. This is within the context that the Pupil Census 2023 confirms that over half of all pupils are now registered for free school meals.

The Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has supported understanding of issues that impact pupils, parents and carers with protected characteristics and has helped to us in our considerations to prioritise those in receipt of SCP in primaries 6 and 7 as the next phase of the free school meal programme.