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<p>During this period, we are asking schools to support children who are eligible
for and claiming benefits-related free school meals at home by providing meals or
food parcels through their existing food providers wherever possible. Schools have
continued to receive all their funding for benefits-related and universal infant free
school meals. However, we recognise that providing meals and food parcels is not a
practicable option for all schools. That is why on 31 March we launched a national
voucher scheme as an alternative option, with costs covered by the Department for
Education.</p><p>Schools are best placed to make decisions about the most appropriate
arrangements for eligible pupils, and this can include food parcel arrangements, alternative
voucher arrangements or provision through the national voucher scheme.</p><p>Edenred
has reported that over £154 million worth of voucher codes has been redeemed into
supermarket eGift cards by schools and families through the national voucher scheme
as of Monday 15 June. Edenred has also reported that over 17,500 schools had placed
orders for the scheme as of Tuesday 26 May. We do not collect data on the scheme at
pupil level.</p><p>The number and proportion of students who qualify for free school
meals is published in the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ publication
and its underlying data files. We do not collect data at constituency level.</p><p>The
2019 publication is available at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2019</a>.</p>
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