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<p>Schools can access the national voucher scheme as of Tuesday 31 March. This scheme
allows schools to order a single voucher to the value of £15 each week for every child
eligible for benefits-related free school meals who is not attending school, set a
weekly £15 rolling voucher, or combine funding where a family has more than one child
eligible. Schools will not have to pay for these vouchers as the costs for this scheme
will be picked up centrally by the Department for Education.</p><p>Schools can also
continue with a local solution to supporting pupils eligible for free school meals.</p><p>We
understand that other approaches may mean that schools incur additional expenses.
Guidance is available on how we will compensate schools who incur these additional
costs, including prior to the introduction of the national voucher scheme, in providing
free school meals or vouchers to pupils affected by COVID-19:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools/school-funding-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19-for-the-period-march-to-july-2020"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-financial-support-for-schools/school-funding-exceptional-costs-associated-with-coronavirus-covid-19-for-the-period-march-to-july-2020</a>.</p><p>Further
guidance is available at the link below: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance/covid-19-free-school-meals-guidance-for-schools</a>.</p><p>
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