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This is a crucial part of the department's wider efforts to build on existing knowledge and gain further understanding of the school food market ahead of the planned expansion of free school meal eligibility to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit in September 2026.

Brad Pearce, chair of The School Food People, said: “As members of The School Food People it is vital that as many of us as possible engage with this process to highlight the fantastic work we all do every day and, crucially, show and demonstrate the pressures being experienced through lack of funding across England, lack of investment, cost of living pressures – food inflation, labour costs, the impact of the proposed revision to the School Food Standards and the expansion of free school meals.”

This planned market engagement process is, over the coming months, intended to give caterers the opportunity to offer valuable insight into how school food and catering is delivered as part of a wider programme of engagement by the department with schools, Local Authorities and other stakeholders.

The closing date for completing the questionnaire is 12pm on Friday 1st May 2026. If you are a current provider of school catering interested in engaging with the department, complete the questionnaire in the online form.