COVID Winter Grant Scheme

We know that times are hard for many families and individuals. The Government’s “Covid Winter Grant Scheme” was announced in December 2020 to help those most in need during the winter months. You can apply for support from City of Wolverhampton Council, to help with the costs of buying food for your child/ren during the February half-term holiday week (15 – 21 February 2021).

This support is not the same as the support for children with a registered benefits-related Free School Meals claim during the current period of partial school closure.

This support will be provided as an “eCode” which can be exchanged online for an eGift card (“supermarket voucher”) to spend with a participating retailer (£15 per child) or a “school box” food parcel containing a week’s worth of breakfast cereals, healthy snacks and lunch items, delivered to your home address by Morrisons.

If you are receiving school-arranged vouchers from Edenred (i.e. your child/ren qualify for FSM but you have not sent them into school) you do not need to apply - we have ordered vouchers to cover February 2021 half term already! If you are not sure please get in touch.

Your child does not need to be registered for benefits-related Free School Meals (FSM), but you will need to apply and meet the extended eligibility criteria to receive this support.

You can apply online between 30 January 2021 and 5 February 2021 at https://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/freeschoolmealswinter if you are:

• - eligible for benefits-related Free School Meals (FSM) not Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM)*;
• - or entitled to Working Tax Credit with annual income less than £16,190;
• - or receiving Universal Credit with take-home pay less than £1,233.33 a month;
• - or waiting for your first Universal Credit payment
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If you would like to apply for support but don’t meet these requirements, please contact the school office to discuss your circumstances in confidence.

*UIFSM are free meals provided to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, regardless of their family circumstances. These are only available to children who are attending school.

Help with your application

• Please only apply once
• When your application has been successfully submitted, you will see a message on the screen and receive a confirmation email to the address provided on application
• If you don’t have access to the internet, or don’t have an email address please:

• Let us know – we can help you to complete your application
• Or, call the Stay Safe, Be Kind Helpline on 01902 290241 from Monday 1 February 2021. If you call before 1 February, they will not be able to help you with your application

• The closing date to apply is Friday 5 February 2021

• If you do not apply before this date, you will not be able to receive support during the February half-term holiday week, even if your child is eligible to receive support during term-time

If your application is successful

• If your application is successful, you will receive a second email by 14 February 2021
• This email will include all the information you need to exchange your eCode for an eGift card (“supermarket voucher”) or information about your food parcel delivery
• You will need to provide an email address to receive your supermarket voucher from Edenred.
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• We would encourage you to exchange your eCode for a supermarket voucher as soon as possible, so that you can buy the food your child needs during the February half-term holiday week
• If you think that you should have received a second email but you haven’t by 14 February 2021, please first check your ‘junk/spam’ email, then call 01902 290241 or email freeschoolmeals@wolverhampton.gov.uk after Monday 15 February 2021. You will need to provide a copy of the confirmation email you received when you completed your online application.
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