The Education (Free School Lunches in Maintained Nursery Schools) (Universal Credit) (England) Order 2026

Explanatory note

Reproduced verbatim from the instrument as published on legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). The note is prepared by the responsible government department and is not part of the instrument itself.

This Order brings registered pupils at maintained nursery schools in England within section 512ZB(4A) (provision of free school lunches and milk) of the Education Act 1996 (c. 56) (“ the 1996 Act ”), for the purpose of receiving free school lunches, if two conditions are met. Those conditions are (a) that their parent is in receipt of universal credit, and (b) they are not already eligible for free school lunches by virtue of being within section 512ZB(4) of the 1996 Act.

A full impact assessment of the effect of extending free school lunch entitlements on the private, voluntary or public sector was prepared for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (c. 21) , including the impact of extending free school lunch entitlements to pupils in maintained nursery schools. A copy of the impact assessment is available from the Department for Education at Sanctuary Buildings, Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BT.