Question: Will schools be able to claim the cost of the free meals?

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: National voucher scheme
section_content: As schools open more widely, and their kitchens reopen, we expect schools to
make food parcels available for collection or delivery for any children that
are eligible for free school meals who are staying at home.
Arranging food parcels helps ensure that eligible children have access to a
healthy free meal, and can also help the school to stay in contact with those
families. We know that many schools have made excellent food parcel
arrangements throughout this period.
If your school catering service cannot provide meals or food parcels for
children who are at home, you can continue to offer vouchers to families of
eligible pupils.
Before ordering vouchers, check which pupils are eligible and would be
receiving benefits-related free school meals.
We are monitoring voucher orders at school level to broadly check if they are
ordering in line with our estimates of the number of eligible children,
recognising that for some schools this will be lower if they are providing
food parcels, or using a local arrangement. If a school’s orders are higher
than expected, we may speak to the school about why this has occurred and will
take forward any necessary action to rectify the position. A cross check will
also be done for those making a claim for free school meals funding via the
financial support available for
schools.
For any voucher queries, please email:

freeschoolmeals@edenred.com for schools
freeschoolmealsparentscarers@edenred.com for parents and carers


Reviewer feedback on this answer:
This answers the question and provides helpful information and links about vouchers and school lunches.
This offers details for families getting meals and food from schools, without addressing the payment to the schools.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Bad

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Providing meals for pupils attending school
section_content: Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and
meals should be available free of charge to all infant pupils and pupils who
meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria.
The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding,
including funding to cover benefits-related free school meals and universal
infant free school meals, throughout this period.

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
It answers the question with additional information about schools providing meals.
This offers the statement that school meals will be funded or reimbursed by the government.

Reviewer ratings:
Acceptable
Acceptable

Answer passage (source: UK):
page_title: Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
section_headers: Additional costs
section_content: The payments for the national voucher scheme will be met centrally by DfE.
We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or
purchasing vouchers for shops not in the national scheme, may mean that
schools incur additional costs. We have published guidance on the financial
support available for schools who incur these additional
costs in this way.
Schools will be able to claim up to a certain limit, depending on their number
of pupils, and where they are unable to meet these additional costs from their
existing resources, or which they could only meet by drawing down on reserves
and undermining their long-term financial sustainability. In exceptional
instances where individual schools face additional costs that are higher than
the grant’s limits, schools will be able to apply to increase their limit.
*[DfE]: Department for Education

Reviewer feedback on this answer:
There is detailed information about how much a school can claim and when, and a link to other resources that may be available.
This answers the question directly and also has helpful links.

Reviewer ratings:
Excellent
Excellent