FSM Voucher Update

We wanted to provide you all with an update on FSM vouchers as we know that many families have not received the eCodes that were ordered for them.

The main difficulty we are facing is that Edenred, the company commissioned by the government to run the scheme, has struggled with demand both from schools ordering codes and parents redeeming them for gift cards. As a result there have been thousands of codes delayed in being activated, sent out to parents and then redeemed. As I write now both schools and parents are put into a queue system of up to an hour. We did manage to access the site at 6.20am this morning but within working hours it is still very challenging and frustrating to get anything actioned. The links below show the scale of the national challenge.

Click the images below to read more.

The other difficulty is that some family contact details in school are not up to date or incorrect. If the email address we hold in school is not accurate or no longer used then it isn’t possible to get the eCode to you. Please keep rechecking junk and spam folders just in case they don’t go to your inbox.

If you have not yet received any emails from school or Edenred then please email school so that we can capture your correct details and reorder vouchers for you.

The final query from families is: Who is eligible for the vouchers?. They are only for children from Reception to Year 6 who are entitled to Free School Meals because they are in need of financial support and receive some form of benefits/tax credits etc. Children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 all get universal free school meals when in school normally but the voucher scheme is only for those entitled through their household income.

There are other categories that have recently been added and they are:

• Children whose parents are Zambrano Carers;

• Children in families with LtR subject to NRPF restriction;

• Children whose families receive support pursuant to section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who have no recourse to public funds;

• and Children in failed seeker families receiving section 4 support.

If you believe you are in any of these categories then please email school.

Please be assured that we are working very hard each day to try and resolve difficulties with this temporary system and we share your frustrations. If you are in any doubt about whether you should be receiving the vouchers then please email us as we want everyone to be in the best position possible in this difficult time.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.