Children Eligible for Benefits-Related Free School Meals - Find a freedom of information request

1. Please could you complete the first tab of the attached spreadsheet with information relating to the number of children eligible for benefits-related free school meals in your local authority area at the census dates indicated.

2. In regards to the government's COVID Winter Grant Scheme (and the subsequent COVID Local Support Grant):

a. Please provide a statement summarising (i) how much funding was received by your local authority through these schemes, and (ii) how (if at all) you used this funding to provide food support to children eligible for benefits-related free school meals over each of the following time periods:

• Christmas school holidays (21 December 2020 - 1 January 2021)
• February school half-term (15 February 2021 - 19 February 2021)
• Easter school holidays (29 March 2021 - 9 April 2021)
• Summer school half-term (31 May 2021 - 4 June 2021)
• Duration of the scheme

b. Please complete the second tab of the attached spreadsheet answering the following questions (for each of the time periods listed):

• How many children on benefit-related free school meals were given any support through the COVID Winter Grant Scheme/COVID Local Support Grant?
• How much of the COVID Winter Grant Scheme/COVID Local Support Grant funding was spent to provide food support to families with children?
• How many meals (or cash/voucher equivalent) were provided through the COVID Winter Grant Scheme/COVID Local Support Grant funding in total?
• How many children eligible for benefits-related free school meals were provided meals through the COVID Winter Grant Scheme/COVID Local Support Grant?

3. In regards to the Government's Holiday Activity and Food Programme:

a. Please provide a statement summarising (i) how much funding was received by your local authority through this scheme for the 2020/2021 academic year, and (ii) how (if at all) you used the Holiday Activity and Food Programme funding to provide food support to children eligible for benefits-related free school meals over each of the following time periods:

• Christmas school holidays (21 December 2020 - 1 January 2021)
• Easter school holidays (29 March 2021 - 9 April 2021)
• Summer school holidays (22 July 2021 - 31 August 2021)
• Academic year 2020-2021

b. Please complete the third tab of the attached spreadsheet answering the following questions (for each of the time periods listed):

• How much of the funding received through the Holiday Activity and Food Programme was spent to provide food to children?
• How many meals (or cash/voucher equivalent) were provided through the Holiday Activity and Food Programme funding?
• How many children eligible for benefits-related free school meals were provided with meals through the Holiday Activity and Food Programme?
• How many children eligible for benefits-related free school meals but unable to partake in the offered activities were provided with meals through the Holiday Activity Food Programme?
• How many days of food and activity were provided for children eligible for benefit-related free school meals?

1. See attached spreadsheet as per request.

2.

a.

i. Funding Period: 1 December 2020 to 16 April 2021: £2,996,426 – claim for the period overall £2,878,718 with £117,708 not committed and so not claimed.

Funding Period 17 April 2021 to 20 June 2021: £523,165 – spend for the period overall £504,503. Remaining sum carried forward into the summer term.

ii.

• Christmas school holidays (21 December 2020 - 1 January 2021) funding issued to schools to provide food voucher/cash through CWSG
• February school half-term (15 February 2021 - 19 February 2021) funding issued to schools to provide food voucher/cash through CWSG
• Easter school holidays (29 March 2021 - 9 April 2021) funding issued to schools to provide food voucher/cash through CWSG
• Summer school half-term (31 May 2021 - 4 June 2021) funding issued to schools to provide food voucher/cash through CLSG
• Duration of the scheme

b. See attached spreadsheet as per request.

3.

a.

i. £2,525,030.00.

ii.

• Christmas school holidays (21 December 2020 - 1 January 2021) – N/A
• Easter school holidays (29 March 2021 - 9 April 2021) –N/A
• Summer school holidays (22 July 2021 - 31 August 2021) – A meal was provided to each eligible child while accessing a face to face session as part of the Holiday Activity & Food Programme (HAF) in line with the guidance for the scheme.
• Academic year 2020-2021

b. See attached spreadsheet as per request.

If you would like to see a copy of the attachment sent out with this response, please request it from CustomerInformationService@lincolnshire.gov.uk quoting the reference number 2158097.