Children: Social Security Benefits
Lords · Question HL13678 · Tabled 19 Jan 2026 · Department for Education · Official record
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Question
Asked by Lord Bird
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether children living in households affected by the benefit cap experience (1) higher levels of school absenteeism, (2) reduced educational attainment, and (3) disrupted schooling.
Answer
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern, 2 Feb 2026
The department recognises the impact of disadvantage on children’s outcomes. The disadvantage gap in attainment at both primary and secondary remains high and persistent. We also know that children eligible for free school meals (FSM) have substantially h...