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<p>Maximising the take-up of free school meals (FSM) is important in ensuring that
as many eligible children as possible benefit from a healthy and nutritious meal.
The department aims to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities
to determine eligibility.</p><p>To support this, an ‘Eligibility Checking System’
has been provided to make the checking process as quick and straightforward as possible
for schools and local authorities.</p><p>The department does not routinely collect
information on the proportion of pupils that may be entitled to FSM but do not make
a claim, and so is not currently in a position to provide data-sets on levels of under-registration
for FSM.</p><p>The department has looked at the issue of under-registration and considers
there to be merit in local authorities exploring initiatives to maximise take up and
to better understand the barriers that prevent such take up, whilst ensuring adherence
to legal and data protection constraints.</p><p>The department is currently aware
of a number of different approaches being trialled by local authorities to maximise
take up of FSM. The department has not provided formal guidance to support these activities,
nor has the department endorsed any particular approach to increasing FSM take-up
for benefits-related FSM and universal approaches, but the department continues to
engage with key stakeholders on this issue.</p>
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