Welfare
Welfare Food
Food Scheme
Scheme1
Nursery
Milk
Guide
Nursery Milk Guide
Nursery Milk Guide
(For Providers of Day Care for Children Under Five)
Reproduced from:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/d
ocuments/digitalasset/dh_072898.pdf
Introduction
The Welfare Food Scheme enables children under five to receive,
free of charge, 189ml (one third of a pint) of milk for each day they
attend approved day care facilities for two hours or more. Babies
aged under one may instead receive infant formula milk (dried baby
milk) made up to 189ml (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.
This guide is intended to assist day care providers to qualify and
claim reimbursement under the Scheme – it explains which day care
providers qualify and, in general terms, the way in which the
Scheme is administered.
The legislation under which the Welfare Food Scheme (nursery milk)
is set up is Section 13 of the Social Security Act 1988 and the
Welfare Food Regulations 1996. This guide is neither
comprehensive nor a definitive interpretation of the law – only the
courts can give that – but it aims to help you understand the
provisions of the Scheme and your obligations if you wish to take
part.
Approval of day care providers and reimbursement are handled by
WFRU – the Welfare Food Reimbursement Unit – on behalf of the
Health Departments of England, Scotland and Wales. (Northern
Ireland has its own separate arrangements.)
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If you have any queries regarding approval, payments, require a
copy of this guide or an application form for the Scheme, please
contact:
WFRU, PO Box 31048
London SW1V 2FE
Telephone: 08707-20-30-63
Fax: 020-7887-1258
Who qualifies for supplying milk under the Scheme?
In general terms, you can apply to take part 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 a nursery or crèche for the children (under
five years old) of persons carrying on or employed to work at that
establishment and staff of certain establishments (for example,
children’s homes, voluntary or community homes, NHS
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 the
child and privately employed nannies are not eligible under the
Scheme.
What type of milk can be supplied under the Scheme?
Milk means heat-treated (e.g. pasteurised) liquid cow’s milk. It
includes whole and semi-skimmed milk. It does not include milk with
flavours, colours, added vitamins or any other additions. It does not
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include fully skimmed milk, goat’s milk, soya milk or unpasteurised
milk.
Infant formula or ‘dried milk’ for babies under one means one of the
following brands:
• Aptamil 1st
• Aptamil Extra
• Cow and Gate Premium
• Cow and Gate Plus
• Farleys 1
• Farleys 2
• Hipp Organic
• Milumil
• SMA Gold
• SMA White.
It does not include follow-on milk, ready-to-feed milk or any other
brand.
How the Scheme works
Applying to take part in the Scheme
If you wish to take part, you must first be approved by WFRU before
you can receive payment for the milk that you supply.
NOTE: Reimbursement will not be made for any milk provided
before the date of approval.
Contact WFRU for a Supplier Application Form. Send your
completed form to WFRU. If you are registered with Her Majesty’s
Chief Inspector of Schools in England, the Welsh Assembly or a
Social Work Department in Scotland as a registered childminder or
registered day care provider, you should enclose with your
application a photocopy of your Certificate of Registration, including
the section showing the maximum number of children aged under
five for whom you are registered. (If you are responsible for day care
at an establishment which is exempt from registration, please
ensure your application is accompanied by written details.) Keep a
copy of the completed form in case of queries. If your application is
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successful, WFRU will register you under the Scheme and will send
you the forms to claim
reimbursement.
Claiming reimbursement
You may claim reimbursement for each child aged under five who is
in your care for two hours or more per day and who is supplied with
189ml (one third of a pint) of milk or, where supplied in 200ml
containers only, with 200ml of milk. For any child aged under one,
you may instead claim for dried baby milk made up to 189ml (one
third of a pint) as instructed on the pack.
At the end of each four-month period, you should send a completed
claim form to WFRU. Please make sure that you give all the
information asked for on the form as this will speed up the
processing of your claim.
Read the declaration on the claim form carefully. If all the details on
the form are complete and correct you should sign it. Keep a copy of
the completed form.
If you have any query about your claim, contact WFRU.
EC School Milk Subsidy
If you are eligible for this Subsidy, you should claim it and deduct the
amount of the Subsidy from the cost of the milk you have supplied.
For more information about the EC School Milk Subsidy, please
contact:
The Rural Payments Agency
School Milk Section
PO Box 277
Exeter EX5 1WB
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Helpline: 01392 266 466
Fax: 01392 266 489
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rpa.gov.uk
How WFRU will deal with your claim
WFRU 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 2 years.
Obtaining milk
You should obtain milk and infant formula (dried baby milk) from
your local suppliers at the best price. Wherever possible obtain
receipts for your purchases. Retain them until your claim has been
paid, as you may be asked to send proof of purchase and price paid
to WFRU in support of your claim.
Obligations of approved day care providers
You may only claim reimbursement for milk actually supplied to
children in your care. The Health Departments may require the
production of records or other documentary evidence to support
claims for reimbursement. WFRU can withdraw approval if it ceases
to be satisfied that you are making adequate arrangements for the
provision of milk or dried baby milk under the Welfare Food Scheme
or if you cease to be an approved day care provider.
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Changes in your day care arrangements
If there are any changes in the day care arrangements that you
provide or any details affecting payments, you must notify WFRU
immediately.
Changes in the Welfare Food Scheme
If the Welfare Food Scheme changes, this guide will be updated. If
you are a registered supplier when changes are being made, you
may receive additional guidance to explain what is happening.
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