Since 2018, there have been protections for existing claimants to continue to receive free school meals while universal credit is rolled out.
- A million children could lose free school meals in the next five years as protections expire for parents transitioning to Universal Credit.
- The Treasury is resisting calls to extend these protections, which were initially set to end in March 2022 but were extended twice.
- Government sources say a further extension is "completely off the table".
- A Labour MP has introduced a bill proposing automatic registration for free school meals for all eligible children.
