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<p>The department publishes statistics annually which detail the number of pupils
registered to receive free meals. The latest data shows that over 2 million pupils
are registered for benefits-based free school meals (FSM), which is 23.8% of all pupils.
Close to 1.3 million additional pupils benefit from universal infant free school meals.
Taken together, over one third of pupils receive free school meals.</p><p> </p><p>The
department does not collect data on the proportion of pupils that may be entitled
to FSM but do not make a claim. Therefore, the department has not made a recent estimate
on the number of children not registered for free school meals.</p><p> </p>
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