IMPORTANT: Change to school meal vouchers 11th May onwards
Change to School Meal Vouchers supplied via Wonde
IMPORTANT MESSAGE – SCHOOL MEAL VOUCHERS CURRENTLY ALLOCATED BY SCHOOL AND SUPPLIED VIA WONDE WILL BE CHANGING FROM NEXT WEEK.
ALL KNOWSLEY SCHOOLS WILL CEASE TO PROVIDE VOUCHERS FOR CHILDREN IN RECEPTION, YEAR 1 AND YEAR 2 WHO ARE ENTITELD UNDER THE UNIVERSAL INFANT FREE SCHOOL MEAL SYSTEM.
ONLY CHILDREN RECEIVING A MEANS TESTED FREE SCHOOL MEAL (FSM) WILL RECEIVE VOUCHERS FROM 11 MAY ONWARDS – THIS IS FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES.
PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR FURTHER EXPLANATION.
Since 27th March, Knowsley Council have funded supermarket vouchers for:
1. Children entitled to a means tested free school meal (known as FSM)
2. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 (who are all eligible for the Universal Infant Free School Meal or UIFSM)
However, the government have made it clear that they will only support those children in receipt of a means tested free school meal – those children in category 1 above, i.e. FSM. This means that there will be no further funding for pupils who would normally receive a Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM), category 2 above.
The next round of vouchers will therefore be allocated for the period between 11th May and 22nd May for children from Reception to Year 6 who fall into category 1 above.
You can claim Free School Meals if you receive one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income Based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-Related Employment Support Allowance
- Child Tax Credit and income of less than £16,190 (but not if you are in work and receiving Working Tax Credit)
- The Guarantee element of State Pension Credit
- Support under part VI of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
- Universal Credit, provided they have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)
If your circumstances have changed and you are now eligible for free school meals, please complete the form attached below, sign it and take it in with proof to one a One Stop Shop; or, post the form to Knowsley MBC, Benefits Section, Municipal Buildings, Archway Road, Huyton L36 9YU; or, email [email protected]
This application must be completed and approved by Knowsley MBC before vouchers can be allocated. Vouchers cannot be issued in retrospect, i.e. only issued from the date you are registered as eligible.
If you are still eligible for a voucher:
Would you like to change your supermarket preference? If you haven’t already done so, please inform school before 10am tomorrow morning (Thursday 6th May), please email this address only – [email protected] . Preferences cannot be changed once the vouchers have been allocated.
Please see the news article from Knowsley News for additional explanation direct from Knowsley Council: https://www.knowsleynews.co.uk/free-school-meals-eligibility-system/
We are sorry about these changes and apologise for the impact this may have for some of our families. This is a council wide decision affecting all schools and brings Knowsley in line with the government directives on providing school meal vouchers during the current covid-19 situation. We thank you for your support and understanding.