Under the expansion, children in families who claim Universal Credit and attend a nursery school or a nursery in a primary school, are eligible, along with primary and secondary pupils. However those attending private, voluntary and independent settings, as well as a childminder are not.
At Early Education, a national charity supporting the early years sector, chief executive, Beatrice Merrick, said, ‘We welcome the news that more children will be eligible for free school meals in nursery and the simplification of the criteria.
‘However, at present children in nursery who are on Universal Credit will only qualify if they are on roll at a nursery in a primary or nursery school, and attending full-time or before and after lunch on the day in question.'
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