What types of milk schemes can be run in our LEA?

You can decide what type of Milk Scheme to introduce.

The five main types are
1. Individual School Scheme
2. A Subsidised Milk Scheme
3. Free Milk for the Under Fives
4. Administration Scheme
5. Free Milk for KS1 Children (Wales only)

---

What is the Individual School Scheme?

This scheme is run by the Schools. The parents would pay for the milk at an agreed price (this would depend on the LEA price agreement and contract with the dairy).

The schools would normally add approximately 1p per carton per day to cover their administration costs and to help towards school funds.

They would then choose the period that the parents would pay for the milk (eg:weekly) and the school would pay the dairy invoices direct or as the agreed arrangement in your LEA.

---

What is the Subsidised School Scheme?

There is an EU Subsidy available for all children aged 5-11 years. The parents would pay for the milk the same as in the Individual Scheme (less the subsidy). The LEA would then be able to reclaim the subsidy from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) as well as some overheads needed to run the scheme.

Again, the price to the parents would depend on the LEA price agreement with the contract dairy but the schools would not be able to add any additional charge to this.

---

What is the Free Milk for Under 5s Scheme?

Under the EU Subsidy all milk is free for the Under 5s, as long as they are in care/education for more than two hours a day.

The milk would be ordered as per Under 5 child and the LEA (or registered organisation) would be able to reclaim the cost from the Welfare Foods Reimbursement Unit (WFRU).

---

What is the Administration Scheme?

In some areas there can be an Administration Scheme available. This can be run by a dairy or an independent organisation like Cool Milk At School.

They deal with the direct invoicing of parents, but can only operate with LEA approval.

---

What is the Free Milk for KS1 Children Scheme? (Wales only)

The Key Stage 1 Scheme has been introduced by the Welsh Assembly, which uses the EU Subsidy and extra finance to make milk available free to children in Primary Education covering the Reception Year, Year One and Year Two.

The LEA would be able to reclaim the costs of supplying the milk from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) who administer this scheme. LEA’s are also able to reclaim the cost of administering the scheme.

---

Can our caterers run schemes in schools?

Yes, the caterers may be able to administer the schemes in your schools and we are able to offer any practical advice to them to assist this facility. Click here to contact us.

---

How do we register for the EU subsidy and for the Free Milk for Under Fives?

You would need to contact the RPA and the WFRU for information and application packs.

Visit our web links page to contact them. These would also give you information on additional resources available for fridges, refuse bins, administration subsidy etc

---

What next?

Contact the schools, informing them of the Milk Scheme/s that will be operating in your LEA and also inform the schools of the additional resources you are able to offer them (as per above).

You can also order leaflets and information to promote milk from the Dairy Council.

Alternatively, you could work closely with The School Milk Project.
Once you have decided what is available to your schools, we will contact them, visit them and inform them what Schemes are running and we would be able to facilitate their start up.

All we would need is a list of all schools and a letter of introduction/authority, from yourselves. We would prefer that this be sent out to schools in advance.

---

We would like more detailed information on the impact that milk schemes would have in our LEA.

If you have any further queries, would like to discuss Milk Schemes or would like to have some more discussions about working with The School Milk Project then please contact the Project Manager.

---

We are an LEA that already has milk schemes running.

If you already have a number of schools that are operating Milk Schemes in your LEA but have any concerns, then please contact The School Milk Project Manager.

We can also assist you should you wish to extend, change or relaunch any of your Milk Schemes.

 

---

You can download useful documents relating to the setting up of a School Milk scheme by clicking here.