13th May 2026
Have your say on proposed payments during school holidays for those in receipt of Free School Meals in Northern Ireland
Legislation which aims to financially support almost 91,000 children across Northern Ireland in receipt of Free School Meals during school holidays has moved a step closer.
Have your say
A public survey is currently open regarding the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill (2026). This Legislation seeks to address the issue of “holiday hunger” by placing a statutory duty on the Minister of Education to provide direct payments to parents of pupils entitled to Free School Meals during all school holiday periods and exceptional closure days.
A previous public consultation on the Bill’s proposals received 1,136 responses, with high levels of support. Nearly 98% of respondents agreed that holiday payments would alleviate financial pressure on low-income families, and 99% believed the payments would positively impact children’s health and wellbeing. Key children’s charities and other groups support the introduction of this bill including Barnardo’s and Save the Children and the the Human Rights Commission.
This legislation would make permanent the support that has previously been provided through temporary grant schemes funded by the Department of Education.
The NI Assembly Research and Information Paper is available here.
The survey is available at Call for Evidence – Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill
The Call for Evidence survey closes on 15 June 2026.
Free School Meals eligibility
During school term time of 2024-2025 almost 91,000 school pupils in Northern Ireland qualified for Free School Meals.
There is often a lack of awareness or social stigma that can deter parents and children from claiming Free School Meals, so there could be many more families in Northern Ireland who could be entitled to this support.
To qualify for Free School Meals households must be in receipt of certain benefits such as Universal Credit and be on a low income. Free School Meals can be applied for at any time during the school year, reflecting the fact that household circumstances can also change at any time.
There is more information on the eligibility criteria for Free School Meals and how to apply on the Education Authority NI website.
If you have never claimed Universal Credit or previously claimed but were turned down we would encourage you to check you are receiving all the financial support you are entitled to for your family.
We know it can be difficult to work out what financial support is available for your family, we want to make sure all families are receiving everything they are entitled to. For impartial and confidential advice, contact our Family Benefits Advice Service on fbas@employersforchildcare.org.