Parliamentary Search

Written question asked by Ruth Cadbury (Labour) on Thursday, 21 July 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 September 2016. It was answered by Edward Timpson (Conservative) on Tuesday, 13 September 2016 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Free School Meals: Hounslow

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what effect the change in eligibility criteria for free school meals has had on schools funding in Hounslow in 2016-17.

Answer

There has not been a change in the eligibility criteria for free school meals (FSM) since 2013 when Universal Credit was added to the list of qualifying benefits. Nationally, the proportion of pupils eligible for FSM has continued to fall across all age groups due to improvements in the economy over recent years.

FSM rates are used to determine pupil premium funding, and are targeted to each pupil who has been registered for FSM at any point in the last six years. FSM rates can also be used to determine a school’s core budget. Local authorities devise their own formulae through which they distribute the Dedicated Schools Grant to schools in their locality. They must include a deprivation factor, and can allocate this funding on the basis of FSM status, an area level measure of deprivation, or both. The core schools budget has been protected in real terms for the duration of this Parliament.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
43861
Session
2016-17
Subjects
Finance Eligibility Free school meals Schools Hounslow
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk