Management Information Sheet

Free School Meals Vouchers for Christmas Holidays 2021

Support has been extended to cover the Christmas 2021 holiday for pupils eligible for means-tested Free School Meals (FSM).

Note: Where appropriate, please pass this message on to the person in your school or Trust that orders holiday food vouchers for eligible children.

We are delighted that Norfolk County Council will continue to use the grant from the government's DWP Household Support Fund to work with food voucher company, Edenred, to provide support for all families with children eligible for means-tested Free School Meals. This includes children in the early years who receive EY Pupil Premium, those in post-16 education in receipt of bursary funding and those Elective Home Educated children that the LA are aware of that would be eligible to means-tested FSM should they attend school.

We are again asking all Norfolk schools and colleges to order vouchers for their means-tested FSM-eligible pupils to cover the Christmas school holiday at the rate of £55 per eligible pupil via the NCC EdenRed portal. Please ensure all orders placed are marked as "Xmas 21" to distinguish from term time orders and avoid being charged, as NCC is covering the cost of the holiday vouchers.

Note: The £55 is based on the usual £15 per child per week for the 2 weeks of the holiday, plus an additional £25 per child to help families free up household finances in advance of an anticipated rise in energy costs in January and to try and help children enjoy a better Christmas than they might otherwise have.

If you are a newly appointed Headteacher or have new admin staff and are unsure about using the EdenRed portal, please e-mail fsmf@norfolk.gov.uk as soon as possible to arrange for your log-in to be set up.

Any other queries in relation to voucher orders should also be directed to the Free School Meals Finance Team at fsmf@norfolk.gov.uk; please do not contact EdenRed directly.

Please continue to encourage eligible families to register for free school meals as this will enable them to qualify for these vouchers as well as the other support available.

You may wish to share the link below on your own Facebook pages to promote the scheme to your parents and carers.

https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/education-and-learning/schools/school-meals-and-milk

Please note that the free school meal vouchers will only be available to those who are eligible and have registered.

Families in hardship and needing wider support - information leaflet on Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS)

In addition to the offer of FSM vouchers for eligible families, there is support available for families who are facing hardship and need support. Note: We have attached a Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS) information leaflet for schools to share with their families. This may be sent electronically with e-bulletins or printed off for those families that are not able to access news electronically.

Anyone experiencing hardship may be able to receive support through the NAS, which may be able to provide support for food, fuel, clothes and other essential household items to families experiencing hardship. Wider support from a range of partners can then also be made available with NAS working alongside the Children's Services Community and Partnerships service.

Families may get in touch with NAS via their dedicated website which includes an online application form at Norfolk Assistance Scheme - Norfolk County Council or if they cannot access the internet, they can call 0344 800 8020.

Thank you to colleagues for continuing to support vulnerable children and families.