Background notes

Methodology from 2025 – Local Government Finance Statistics

From 2025 onwards, school meal uptake has been estimated using a methodology that combines data on number of meals provided from the Local Government (LG) finance workbook LFR01 (LFR) with data on pupil roll and free school meal registrations from the pupil census. Uptake rates are adjusted to take account of attendance for the year using published data from School attendance and absence statistics. See the Data and methodology section for details of the methodology. This new methodology meets the need for information on school meal uptake to monitor the impact of Scottish Government policies on reducing deprivation and promoting healthy eating.

Former data collection – Healthy Living Survey

In 2012, the Healthy Living Survey (HLS) was introduced which incorporated the old school meals survey and new questions on Physical Education. This was an annual survey, normally collected in February each year, from all publicly funded schools in Scotland. The school meal part of this survey collected information on the uptake of meals, both free and paid for, on a single day, as well as information on pupils registered for free school meals. The final HLS was conducted in February 2024.

Universal free school meal eligibility

In January 2015, the Government extended free school meal eligibility to include all children in P1-P3. This was extended again to include P4 in August 2021 and further extended to include P5 pupils from January 2022.

Free school meal entitlement for all pupils in special schools was rolled out between January 2022 and January 2024.

National eligibility criteria for means tested free school meals

Eligibility for free school meals for secondary pupils and some primary stages is means tested. See School meals - mygov.scot for details.

Future of these statistics

As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that our work is focussed on statistical products that meet user needs, we are reviewing the demand for these statistics. One option under consideration is to stop producing these statistics. If you have found these statistics useful, please let us know how you are using them by emailing school.stats@gov.scot.