16 to 19 funding: free meals in further education funded institutions for 2019 to 2020

Guidance to help provide free meals to disadvantaged 16 to 18 year old students in further education funded institutions.

Who this guide is for

This guide is departmental advice from Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). This advice is non-statutory, and is intended to help further education (FE) funded institutions understand their obligation to provide free meals to disadvantaged students.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) specific update

Summer 2020 – extra funding for free meals in further education

Additional funding

Due to the unprecedented nature of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are providing additional funding to enable FE institutions to continue to provide meals over the 2020 summer holiday to students eligible for free meals in FE in the 2019 to 2020 academic year. Unlike other free meals in FE funding, this does not apply to 16 to 19 schools and academies who are able to access the free school meals national voucher scheme.

Institutions must continue to provide meals using their existing arrangements over the summer for students who were eligible and claiming for free meals in FE during the summer term. Institutions need to confirm arrangements and support with eligible students before the end of the summer term.

Institutions are reminded that they can use their 16 to 19 Bursary funding with free meals in further education allocations, including this additional funding. However, the additional funding itself can only be used to provide support for meals to eligible students over the summer 2020 holiday period. Any additional funding that is not spent must be returned to ESFA. The usual rules on unspent funds set out in the free meals in further education funded institutions guide continue to apply.

Calculation and payment

We have calculated the additional funding using the number of fundable free meals students from 2019 to 2020 academic year allocations. We have adjusted this to reflect the in-year growth process where appropriate.

The funding rate is £73 per student/instance. This is the free meals rate of £2.41 x 5 meals each week over the 6-week summer holiday period. The 5% administrative costs that institutions are permitted to use from their allocation has been factored in.

Institutions must sign and return contract variations by 31 July to receive the additional funding in their August payment. Institutions will receive their funding in a later payment if contracts are returned after this date.

We will also pay the first part of free meals allocations for the 2020 to 2021 academic year to institutions in August in line with the usual payment schedule.

Institutions must retain the usual eligibility and payment evidence for their auditable records.

National voucher scheme for free meals

In April, the Department for Education confirmed details of a National Voucher Scheme for schools to continue providing free school meals to eligible pupils. Schools with 16 to 19 pupils are already included in this scheme. Other 16 to 19 providers with a free meals in further education allocation will be able to apply to the national voucher scheme, with the value of the vouchers being claimed back via free meals in further education/16 to 19 bursary allocations. Full details, including a business case template that must be completed, are below.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) process for submitting business cases for additional funding to support students requiring free meals in FE, and for applying to the national voucher scheme

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The existing content of this guidance remains relevant and providers are asked to continue to follow it. In addition:

• we expect further education institutions to continue to support students who are eligible for, and usually receive, free meals in further education, or are newly eligible, whether they are continuing to attend the provider or are studying remotely due to coronavirus (COVID-19) related issues. Institutions should continue to provide that support as they determine most appropriate and practical, for example, providing vouchers for supermarkets or local shops, making payments by BACS, or other local arrangements
• this support should be offered to eligible students studying remotely during term time weeks
• institutions are reminded that they have flexibility to use their free meals in further education and 16 to 19 Bursary Fund budgets as a single pot and we expect institutions to use their existing funding as they deem most appropriate to provide support to students at this difficult time. Institutions must manage the single allocation appropriately to ensure all students eligible for a free meal receive support in line with the funding rules set out in this guidance
• if institutions are not able to provide free meals support from their existing delivery arrangements, they should consider whether they meet the criteria to approach ESFA with a business case for access to the national voucher scheme (noting that the value of the vouchers claimed will be reclaimed from free meals in FE allocations). Or, if institutions are not able to provide free meals support from their existing funding they should consider whether they meet the criteria to approach ESFA with a business case for additional funding. It is important to note that both requests for additional funding and for access to the voucher scheme will require a business case to be completed
• institutions will want to consider their ongoing student support commitments with a view to reducing and/or amending any funding set aside for activity that will no longer be needed – for example, weekly travel passes, or trips. Institutions should ensure they utilise their existing funding, including any free meals and/or bursary funds they have carried forward from previous years before considering whether they meet the criteria for approaching ESFA with a business case for additional funding
• institutions are reminded they must ensure they maintain records of all payments and decisions for future audit, including how the existing guidance and additional criteria have been considered when making new and additional awards from their free meals in FE allocations

Supporting disadvantaged students through the 16 to 19 bursary fund

ESFA recognises that some 16 to 19 students from disadvantaged households may not be able to access their required online learning since they lack a suitable device such as a laptop and/or internet access. We have published guidance on how the 16 to 19 bursary fund may be used to support disadvantaged students.

Free meals: a summary

The 1996 Education Act requires maintained school and academy sixth forms to provide free meals to disadvantaged students who are aged over 16. In the 2014 to 2015 academic year this requirement was extended to disadvantaged students following FE courses at the range of FE funded institutions. Funding Agreements place a legal duty on institutions to comply with this requirement.

Institutions must make a free meal available for all eligible students for each day the student attends their study programme, where this is appropriate.

Institutions receive funding at a rate equivalent to £2.41 per student per meal.

Students aged over 19 who are continuing on the same study programme (19+ continuers) they started before they turned 19 or who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are eligible for a free meal where they meet the criteria

Where institutions receive funding for both free meals in further education and 16 to 19 Bursary Fund discretionary bursary, they may use the funding as a single allocation.

Transitional protections introduced in the 2018 to 2019 academic year continue to apply. The protection means that all students already receiving free meals on or after 1 April 2018 continue to be eligible to receive free meals whilst Universal Credit continues to roll out. This also applies to students who were eligible for free schools meals (FSM) prior to moving into further education provision.

Eligibility for free meals

Institution eligibility

Students must be enrolled in further education provision funded via ESFA to be eligible for a free meal. Eligible institutions are:

• general further education colleges, including specialist colleges
• sixth-form colleges
• commercial and charitable providers
• higher education institutions (HEIs) with 16 to 19 funding from ESFA
• specialist post-16 institutions (SPIs)
• local authorities (LAs) and FE institutions directly funded for 16 to 19
• 16 to 18 traineeship providers
• European Social Fund (ESF) only institutions
• 16 to 19 only academies and free schools
• 16 to 19 only maintained schools

Student eligibility

Age

A student must be aged 16 or over but under 19 on 31 August 2019 to be eligible to receive a free meal.

Students aged 19 or over are only eligible to receive a free meal if they are continuing on a study programme they began aged 16 to 18 (‘19+ continuers’) or have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

These 2 groups of aged 19 plus students can receive a free meal while they continue to attend education (in the case of a 19+ continuer, this must be the same programme they started before they turned 19), as long as their eligibility continues.

The following groups of students are not eligible for free meals in further education:

• students aged between 14 and 16 (these students are already covered by free school meals (FSM) provision)
• students aged 19 or over at the start of their study programme, unless they have an EHCP or are a 19+ continuer
• apprentices, including those with an EHCP

Eligible benefits

Free meals are targeted at disadvantaged students. Free meals in further education defines disadvantage as students being in receipt of, or having parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseekers Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guarantee element of State Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (provided they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC))
• Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after someone stops qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit with net earnings not exceeding the equivalent of £7,400 pa

A student is only eligible to receive a free meal when they, or a responsible adult on their behalf, have made a successful application to the institution where they are enrolled.

Feedback from institutions has indicated that there is some confusion about Working Tax Credit and whether children from families in receipt of it are eligible for free meals. Working Tax Credit is not a qualifying benefit for free meals. A parent or student must be in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits set out above to be eligible. Qualifying benefits include the Working Tax Credit run on which is paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit.

From 1 April 2018, any student who is in receipt of, or has parents who are in receipt of, Universal Credit must have a net earned annual income of no more than £7,400 in order to be eligible for free meals.

Students must also satisfy the residency criteria set out in ESFA Funding regulation guidance.

Verification of student eligibility

Institutions are responsible for assessing applications for free meals. All students applying for a free meal for the first time in the 2019 to 2020 academic year must submit an application (either by the student or by a responsible adult on their behalf) to the institution where they are enrolled. Some institutions may use a paper application form; others may operate an on-line application.

Institutions will be aware that the Department for Education (DfE) provides an electronic Eligibility Checking System (ECS) that enables local authorities to check free school meal (FSM) eligibility on behalf of institutions.

It is important that institutions and local authorities understand that the legal gateway (section 110 of the Education Act 2005) that enables the Department to obtain benefit information held by DWP and HRMC for checking eligibility is limited to FSM. Information from the ECS cannot currently be used to check entitlement for free meals for post-16 students.

As part of the application, institutions must ask the student (or their parent/guardian) to provide evidence of the award of the qualifying benefits. This might be an award notice or letter from DWP or HMRC. Institutions may want to consider using a combined application form and process for free meals and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund.

Universal Credit

For new applicants, institutions must verify the eligibility of students, or their parents, who are in receipt of Universal Credit, by asking for a copy of their Universal Credit award notice that includes their monthly earnings. Institutions will need to assess the information given to obtain an accurate proxy of the individual’s current earned annual income.

Institutions should check eligibility using the following three-step process:

• Step 1: the student or their parents provide a Universal Credit award statement from their most recent complete assessment period, showing that their earnings in that period do not exceed £616.67 (this is a twelfth of an equivalent annual income of £7,400). If their earnings do not exceed £616.67, they are eligible for free meals. If their earnings do exceed £616.67, the check must move on to the next step.

• Step 2: the student or their parents provides Universal Credit award statements from their two most recent complete assessment periods, showing that their earnings in that period do not exceed £1,233.34 (this is a sixth of an equivalent annual income of £7,400). If their earnings do not exceed £1,233.34, they are eligible for free meals. If their earnings do exceed £1,233.34, the check must move on to the next step.

• Step 3: the student or their parents provides Universal Credit award statements from their three most recent complete assessment periods, showing that their earnings in that period do not exceed £1,850.00 (this is a quarter of an equivalent annual income of £7,400). If their earnings do not exceed £1,850.00, they are eligible for free meals. If their earnings do exceed £1,850.00, the student is not eligible for free meals.

A manual check will be required to determine eligibility for those students or their parents who are self-employed and in receipt of Universal Credit. Parents will need to provide evidence that:

• they are in receipt of Universal Credit by providing their Universal Credit award letter
• they are self-employed by providing a copy of their company registration or tax return form
• their monthly net earnings do not exceed the threshold as set out in steps 1, 2 and 3. Institutions should request that self-employed parents complete the self-declaration form and, once satisfied that they are eligible, provide the student with a free meal

This diagram shows the assessment process

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Transitional protection arrangements

Eligibility criteria introduced under Universal Credit from 1 April 2018 will result in some households becoming eligible for free meals and others falling outside of the eligibility criteria. DfE has put transitional protection arrangements in place to provide certainty for families and ensure they do not experience a sudden loss of free meals.

The protection arrangements apply as follows:

• all students already receiving free meals at 1 April 2018 will continue to receive free meals whilst Universal Credit is rolled out. This will apply even if their household earnings rise above the new threshold during that time
• any student who becomes eligible for free meals after the threshold has been introduced will also continue to receive free meals during the Universal Credit rollout. This will apply even if they subsequently become ineligible during this period because their household earnings rise above the new threshold

Institutions do not need to carry out any further eligibility checks for these protected families during this period. They may wish to note the students as ‘protected’ in their free meals auditable records.

Institutions should seek to identify students who are eligible to receive free meals under the transitional protection. For example, by speaking to the student’s previous school or their local authority (in the case of FSM) or to their previous further education funded institution (in the case of free meals in further education). The information may also be available on the Common Transfer file where institutions have signed up to the DfE’s school-to-school system, although the Department recognises this may not be appropriate for all further education funded institutions. The Department is also exploring options for providing historical free school meals (FSM) information to help institutions identify students who are protected and should continue to receive a free meal.

Where institutions are unable to verify previous eligibility for free meals using the approaches above, they may wish to consider seeking evidence from the student/their parent, for example, by requesting a copy of previous entitlement letters etc.

A student who has not previously claimed free meals is only eligible to receive one when they, or a responsible adult on their behalf, have made a successful application to the institution where they are enrolled. Once Universal Credit is fully rolled out, any students receiving free meals who no longer meet the eligibility criteria at that point (because they are earning above the threshold) will continue to receive protection until they complete their 16 to 19 funded education. 19+ continuers and students aged 19 and over with EHCPs will continue to receive protection until the end of their current programme of study.

Student who make a first application for in the 2019 to 2020 academic year and who have household earnings above the threshold will not be eligible for free meals.

Allocations and payments

Where possible, ESFA has based 2019 to 2020 academic year free meals funding for further education institutions on their 2017 to 2018 full academic year data and their funded student number for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. ESFA has used the number of students assessed as eligible for, and in receipt of, free meals in the 2017 to 2018 academic year as a percentage of the total number of reported students aged 16 to 19 in that year. This establishes the number of students we might reasonably expect to be eligible for free meals support in the 2019 to 2020 academic year.

If 2017 to 2018 full academic year information is not available, ESFA will use alternative approaches to generate the allocation and explain the calculation to the institution. ESFA strongly advises institutions to make data returns for the number of students assessed as eligible for, and in receipt of, free meals on an ongoing basis.

ESFA apportions the number of fundable free meals students across the funding bands, using the same methodology as for mainstream allocations. Band 5, Band 4 and Band 1 FTEs are full-time students. Band 3 and Band 2 are part-time students. Two funding rates apply, one for full-time students and one for part-time students, equivalent to £2.41 per student per meal.

As in previous years, ESFA has made an adjustment for historic double funding between free meals and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund. ESFA calculates each institution’s share (percentage) of the total number of students supported with free meals who informed the 2019 to 2020 free meals allocations. This percentage is used to calculate the amount to be subtracted from each institution’s discretionary bursary allocation.

Further information about the allocations methodology is set out in ESFA funding statements (issued to institutions in February to March 2019).

Payment of allocations

ESFA will pay free meals allocations to institutions in 2 parts: approximately two-thirds in August and one third in April. The first payment for eligible academies is September, reflecting the general academies payment schedule.

If any institution given an allocation of free meals funding determines they do not have eligible students, they should contact ESFA to return their allocation.

Administrative contribution

Institutions are permitted to use up to 5% of their allocation for administrative costs.

Institutions that receive allocations for both the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund and free meals in further education schemes are permitted to use up to 5% of the combined allocation for administration. Institutions must ensure they do not take a sum that is greater than 5% of the single allocation total.

Rules on unspent free meals funds

ESFA permits institutions to carry unspent free meals funds over to the next academic year. Any funds carried forward must continue to be used to support students. They cannot be added to general institution funds.

Where institutions are given a single overall allocation that includes funding for both free meals and the discretionary bursary, they can carry forward funds from both schemes. The funding may be used for either free meals or discretionary bursary payments in the new academic year.

Institutions must fully utilise any unspent funds for either free meals or discretionary bursary before using their new academic year allocation.

Free meals and/or discretionary bursary meals funding cannot be carried forward for more than one year. Institutions must inform ESFA of the total amount of any unspent funds (not previously reported) from any year up to and including the 2017 to 2018 academic year by e-mailing [email protected] . ESFA will recover the unspent funds.

The provision of free meals to students

Institutions must make provision for free meals to eligible students (those who are in receipt of the qualifying benefits and who make a successful application for free meals) for each day the student attends their study programme, where this is appropriate.

For example, if a student attends for 5 days a week, 9am to 3pm, for part of their course, the institution should provide 5 free meals. If a student has 2 days a week when they only attend from 9am to 10am, then the institution does not have to provide meals on those days.

Institutions are responsible for encouraging and supporting students in making healthy food choices. Many caterers will be able to advise on suitable healthy options to offer students. Institutions should also offer hot food options where practical.

Institutions should provide a meal free of charge to eligible students, or fund the free meal via an electronic credit or voucher that can be redeemed on-site or off-site where institutions have arrangements with nearby food outlets. Electronic credits and vouchers must be worth a minimum value of £2.41.

If an institution determines it is necessary to enhance the £2.41 free meals funding rate, in other words, to provide a meal with a greater value, from the single funding allocation or other sources, they have discretion to do so.

Institutions must consider the value for money and reasonableness of an enhancement to the £2.41 rate and must be able to justify this at audit, particularly if they choose to make a significant variation from this amount.

The cost of meals is sometimes included as part of the package of support for High Needs Students that is agreed with local authorities. In these instances, institutions should consider the issue of potential double funding for meals when assessing the need to support. This might be by deducting the appropriate amount of funding from the total costs of the package for those students who will be eligible for a free meal, enabling local authorities to use those funds elsewhere.

The majority of students will require a free meal at lunchtime to fit in with usual study and attendance patterns. However, institutions may exceptionally choose to make provision for a free meal at an alternative time, for example, a breakfast, depending on the study pattern of individual students.

Institutions must make free meals provision for students on days when they are off-site as part of their study programme, for instance attending a work placement, work experience or industry placement. Wherever possible, institutions should provide the student with a voucher they can use at nearby food outlets or arrange with the work experience or placement provider to provide a meal.

ESFA expects that a meal, voucher or credit will be provided to eligible students. However, this may not be practical in some situations and institutions are permitted to make cash payments to students in the following exceptional circumstances:

Students attending institutions that meet all of the following criteria:

• fewer than 50 students in total on roll
• no catering or kitchen facilities on site
• no suitable food outlets locally that will agree to take part in a credit or voucher scheme

Students who are off-site on work placement or work experience as part of their study programme whose host organisation is unable or unwilling to provide a meal and who have no access to a suitable food outlet that will accept a voucher. Examples include work placements in rural areas or on industrial sites.

Institutions with more than 50 students in total on roll but which have sites away from their main campus that a) have no on-site catering facilities and b) are too far away for students to travel back to facilities on the main campus.

If institutions identify particular and exceptional circumstances that fall outside these parameters, they have discretion to make cash payments if they believe that failing to do so will prevent an eligible student from being provided with a meal. Institutions must ensure they record any such decisions as part of their auditable records.

Catering for students with special dietary requirements

Institutions are best placed to make decisions in the case of students who have special dietary requirements, taking into account local circumstances. Institutions are expected to make reasonable adjustments for students with these requirements.

The School Food Plan’s UIFSM toolkit was developed to help schools implement universal free school meals for infant pupils, but it contains advice on how to cater for pupils with special dietary requirements, which may be helpful to institutions.

Free meals and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund

ESFA removed the ring fence between the free meals in further education allocation and the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund discretionary bursary allocation to give institutions flexibility in using the funding. Institutions must manage the single allocation appropriately to ensure all students eligible for a free meal receive one in line with this guide.

Prior to the introduction of additional funding for free meals, institutions had supported the cost of meals for students who needed them from discretionary bursaries. ESFA adjusts discretionary allocations to take account of this double funding for those institutions also in receipt of an allocation for free meals.

Institutions have discretion to manage the single allocation as they decide most appropriate to best provide support to eligible students for both schemes. Free meals in further education remains an entitlement and institutions must manage the single allocation appropriately to ensure that all students entitled to a free meal are provided with one.

If an institution determines it is necessary to enhance the £2.41 free meals funding rate and provide a meal with a greater value, whether from their single allocation or other sources, they have the discretion to do so. However, where institutions choose to do this, they must ensure that funding for discretionary bursaries continues to provide sufficient help to students facing the range of barriers to participation and should not enhance free meals funding to the detriment of other needs.

Institutions can give additional support to students eligible for a free meal from the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund, if the institution assesses they meet the criteria for bursary for vulnerable groups or the discretionary bursary.

Institutions should ensure they consider the provision of a free meal, or the funding provided to the student for the free meal, when they assess their overall need for support.

Raising awareness of free meals

Institutions are responsible for ensuring students are aware of the eligibility criteria for free meals. They should also encourage students who may meet the criteria to make an application for a free meal.

Institutions should clearly set out their free meal provision for students and parents. This might be by publishing a statement on their website, promoting and providing information about free meals at induction and enrolment days, sending letters home to parents, etc.

Students do better in their studies when they have access to proper, regular, nutritional meals. ESFA encourages institutions to support students to make healthy food choices by raising awareness of relevant information and guidance.

Individualised Learner Record (ILR)

Institutions must complete the free meal field in the ILR to provide information on the number of young people eligible for free meals. This is code FME2.

Institutions must ensure they only record students who are eligible and have taken up the free meal in the free meal field. Students assessed as eligible but who do not take up a meal should not be included.

Students who receive funding for meals from the discretionary 16 to 19 Bursary Fund must not be recorded in the free meals field nor should students who receive Free School Meals (FSM) (for example, 4 to 15 year-olds). FSM students should be reported in the separate FSM field.

The ILR states that code FME2 should be used if the student is eligible for, and has taken up, free meals at any point during the academic year. If the student stops taking free meals FME2 should be retained and not removed until the start of the following academic year. Similarly, if a student becomes ineligible during the year, the transitional protections mean that FME2 should be retained until the student’s programme of study ends.

This code should be recorded for eligible students who are ESFA funded students aged 16 or over and under 19, 19 to 24 year-old students who are subject to an EHCP, ESF funded students aged between 16 and 18 and 19+ continuers.

Institutions that do not complete the ILR but instead complete the School Census should complete the 2 free school meals fields.

Audit and assurance

Free meals in further education is subject to normal assurance arrangements for 16 to 19 education and training.

Institutions must maintain accurate and up to date records that evidence which students receive free meals funding; confirm student eligibility for funding, including where transitional protections apply, and demonstrate appropriate use of funds, including the rationale for any enhancement to the £2.41 free meals rate. They must also be able to confirm, during any audit, the amount of any unspent funds that have been carried forward to the current academic year.

Institutions are responsible for deciding what evidence they accept for free meals and how recent it is. However, they must ensure they can evidence that only students who meet the eligibility criteria for free meals in each academic year receive them. Where institutions have used their discretion to make cash payments that are outside the specified criteria set out in this document, they must ensure these are recorded.

Institutions should note that, following an audit, ESFA might recover funding where free meals payments are found to have been made to ineligible students.

Further information

The school food plan’s UIFSM toolkit was developed to help schools implement universal free school meals for infant pupils, but it contains advice on how to cater for pupils with special dietary requirements, which may be helpful to institutions.

Information about healthy eating, including recipes, is available at Change4Life and NHS.

Published 1 April 2019
Last updated 10 July 2020 + show all updates

1. 10 July 2020

   We have added a section with details of extra funding to enable further education institutions to continue to provide meals for the 2020 summer holiday. 

2. 24 April 2020

   We have updated our guidance on how providers with a free meals in further education allocation may continue to support eligible learners through the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

3. 1 April 2019

   First published.

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