FOI Request - School Meal Debt

Request 101003042000

1.  Can secondary pupils with a zero or negative balance on their school meal account access a school meal? If they can access school meal, what is the process for doing so? Does this accrue debt to the family?

2.  Do pupils with a zero or negative balance on their school meal account have any restrictions placed on what they can eat either at lunchtime or during morning break?

3.  Does debt on the school meal system get referred to the council for debt collection? Does the Council use external debt agencies or sheriff officers to collect school meal debt?

4.  Do you use a cashless payment system for school meals in a) Primary and b) Secondary school? If so, which system is used?

5.  Is school meal debt written off when a child leaves secondary school?

6. Does school meal debt outstanding at the end of primary seven transfer to secondary school?

7. Is school meal debt written off when a child leaves the local authority or is it transferred to another local authority?

8. Where a family makes a late application for free school meals does this write-off any debt that may have already accrued or does the debt have to be paid?

9. If people’s Universal Credit income varies from month to month does it have an effect on their free school meal entitlement? If so, what effect?

Response 03-05-2022

1a. Yes.
1b. They would let a teacher know and the teacher would let the Cook know or the pupil would speak directly to the Cook.
1c. Yes unless the school wants to clear the debt.
2. They would not be given morning break. There is no restriction on what they choose for lunch.
3a. Once it over £23.00 and an invoice is raised.
3b. Yes.
4a. Yes, CRB Ipay.
4b. Yes, CRB Ipay impact.
5. Yes, debt is written off on advice of external debt collector.
6. No.
7. Yes, debt is written off on advice of external debt collector.
8. Debt is cleared for the start date of free school meal allowance date.  
9. The qualifying criteria for free school meals with Universal Credit is: a monthly earned income of not more than £625. If earnings are above this qualifying criteria then they should not qualify for free school meals.