School Milk Project - Introduction to the Welfare Food Scheme

Nursery Milk for providers of day care for children under five. The Welfare Food Scheme enables children under five to receive free of charge 189 ml (one third of a pint) of milk each day they attend approved day care facilities for two hours or more. Babies aged under one may instead receive dried baby milk made up to 189 ml (one third of a pint).

Day care providers who have been approved to supply milk under the Scheme can be reimbursed the cost of the milk they supply. Approval of day care provider and reimbursement are handled by NMRU – the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit – on behalf of Health Departments of England, Scotland and Wales.  Northern Ireland has its own separate arrangements.

Who may apply?
In general terms, you may apply for approval to participate in the Scheme if you are:

• A childminder or day care provider registered under the Children Act 1989;
• A local authority which provides day care;
• Providing day care to children under five in schools or play centres that are exempt from registration under the Children Act 1989
• Providing day care in nursery or crèche for the children (under five years old) of management and staff of certain establishments (e.g. children’s homes, voluntary or community homes, HHS hospitals) which are exempt from registration under the Children Act 1989

NOTE
Day care provided for less than two hours in a day does not qualify for approval under the scheme.  Parents and relatives of child and privately-employed nannies are NOT eligible under the Scheme.

Application for Approval
If you wish to take part in the Scheme, you first must be approved by NMRU before you can receive payment for the milk and dried milk you supply.  Reimbursement will not be made for any milk provided before the date of approval.

Supplier Application forms for approval to take part in the Scheme can be obtained from NMRU. If your application for approval is successful, NMRU will register you under the Scheme and will send you the forms to claim reimbursement.

Claiming Payment
At the end of each four month period, you should send a completed claim form to NMRU

NMRU will check your claim to see that it is consistent with your registration details and is otherwise correct.  Once the claim is processed, payment will be made by BACS (Banker’s Automated Clearing Service).

All claims must be submitted within two years.