Free school meals - test of change phase: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

The Scottish Government is committed to eradicating child poverty and the Free School Meal (FSM) Programme is key to this aim.

As part of the 2025/26 budget process, Scottish Ministers agreed with a proposal from the Scottish Green Party to carry out a new Test of Change (ToC) phase of the FSM Programme to provide meals to those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in S1 to S3.

The ToC phase will run in the academic year 2025/26, from August 2025 to July 2026. It will be carried out in eight local authorities in secondary schools that have capacity to deliver the expansion with support for provision of meals, and represent a variety of geographical areas. These areas will represent urban, semi-urban, rural and islands.

Positive impacts have been identified on the basis of advancing equality of opportunity in relation to the protected characteristics of age and race. The remaining characteristics were neutral. There were no negative impacts.

The ToC will have positive impact for S1 to S3 pupils whose families are in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in the selected schools across eight local authorities.

The policy allows the continued support of children and young people in low-income families and gives them access to free and nutritious meals.