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Coronavirus: National free school meal voucher scheme launches

Schools can now provide every child eligible for free school meals (FSM) with a weekly voucher worth £15 to help them cover the cost of meals while they are being home schooled.

The national scheme has been put in place by the Department for Education (DfE) and schools are to be emailed today by chosen provider Edenred.

However, the DfE has said it will not be funding FSM during the two week Easter period (April 6 to 17) despite the government having asked schools to remain open during this time.

The voucher can be spent in six supermarket chains – Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S – with the DfE working to get others to sign up to the scheme.

The voucher scheme will remain in place while schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and the DfE has this week updated its coronavirus FSM guidance to schools (DfE, 2020).

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