Warning for 100,000 parents missing out on up to £570 a year free supermarket vouchers due to hidden rules
THOUSANDS of households are missing out on up to £570 a year free supermarket vouchers.
More than 100,000 parents of disabled children are being wrongly refused alternatives to free school meals, according to research.
Data shows that tens of thousands of eligible disabled children are missing out on their free school meal entitlement due to their disability or sensory needs.
This is despite the law being clear that most should be offered an alternative such as supermarket vouchers.
Free school meals are a benefit offered to families who receive other qualifying benefits, as listed further down.
Currently, in England, all children from reception to year two qualify for free school meals.
Read more on Money
Disability charity, Contact, has calculated that over 100, 000 eligible disabled children are unable to access a free lunch at school in the regular way.
This equates to £570 a year of financial help, causing many families to get into debt and turn to foodbanks.
Anna Bird, chief executive, said: "Almost all affected families say that missing out on school meals increased pressure on their weekly budgets.
"At a time when grocery bills are sky high, it’s vital that families get all the help they are entitled to without having to fight for it."
The research carried out by the charity in March 2023 found that there are different reasons that disabled children can't eat their free school lunch.
These include things such as health conditions, dietary requirements, sensory issues and some may be off school due to a long-term medical condition or illness.
In some cases, students are not in school as they have an education package provided by the council or are waiting for a suitable school place.
The current free school meals guidance doesn't mention that schools and local authorities have a duty to provide a reasonable alternative for children in these situations.
This is leading to a lot of parents being refused alternatives, such as supermarket vouchers.
Natalie Hay, founder of the inclusive free school meals campaign has been working with Contact and Merseyside MP, Ian Byrne to get the free school meals guidance updated.
The MP for West Derby led a Westminister Hall debate on January 10 about fair access to free school meals for disabled children.
He said: "It must be made clear that schools and councils need to provide an alternative, ideally a supermarket voucher, to disabled children who can’t access a free school meal in the regular way."
Founder, Natalie, started campaigning three years ago when she realised eligible disabled children were missing out on their free lunch, despite receiving supermarket vouchers in lockdown.
She said: “I am delighted that after three years campaigning, this issue is getting the attention it deserves."
A spokesperson for Contact said that the government has now committed to updating the guidelines by March and they hope this will also include writing to all schools to remind them of their legal duty.
What can I do if my child is missing out?
If you are the parent of a child who is missing out on free school meals there is help out there.
Contact has worked with a legal team to produce template letters that parents can use to ask their school for an alternative.
The letter sets out the law surrounding free school meals and can also be adapted for different circumstances.
All you need to do to access the template is visit the Contact.org.uk website and follow the flow chart by answering a series of questions.
This will direct you to the letter that is most suitable for your circumstances.
Included are details of who and where to send the letter, and there is also a free legal guide you can download.
Who is eligible for free school meals?
Children whose parents claim certain benefits are eligible to receive free school meals:
- Income support
- Income-based jobseeker's allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child tax credit (provided you're not also entitled to working tax credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working tax credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit
Children who recieve free school meals during term time should also be entitled to vouchers during the holidays too.
Thousands of families were entitled to up to £60 per child in supermarket vouchers to cover the Christmas holidays.
However, what you can get depends on where you live so it is best to check with your local council.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
You can apply for free school meals through your local authority's website.
If you are unsure who your local council is you can find out by going to the main government website and putting in your postcode.