The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2025: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (Modification) Regulations 2025 will increase the maximum income levels at which families will be eligible to receive free school meals with effect from 1 April 2025. The Regulations will apply where families are eligible to receive free school meals through being in receipt of Universal Credit. This measure became necessary following the rate of the National Living Wage increasing from £11.44 per hour to £12.21 per hour on 1 April 2025.

This change has become necessary since some families who had previously been eligible for free school meals, under the eligibility criteria introduced on 1 April 2024, might have been at risk of losing their entitlement since the latest increase in the National Living Wage would have taken their income above those existing maximum income levels. This protection for families was essential to ensure those who were previously eligible for free school meals through being in receipt of Universal Credit did not lose out on support.