Free Milk - using agents to claim for you - please read!

[Pauline]

There have been quite a few posts recently about using the agents who claim your free milk allowance on your behalf and deliver the milk to your door.

Remember the following:

YOU will be responsible for the amount of milk you claim.

So, you really must make sure that you do not receive more milk that you should, or you could be made to pay back the cost! BE WARNED!


RULES OF THE EU SCHOOL MILK SUBSIDY SCHEME
You must make sure that you only claim for products that have been produced in the EU, that have been paid for, and that have been distributed to children in regular attendance at your nursery or pre-school establishment. The milk can be drunk on its own, served with meals or poured on cereal, but must not be used as an ingredient in meals or consumed by the staff or visitors.

You must make sure that any catering companies or agents helping you also follow the rules and regulations relating to the scheme.

We must be able to check your records at any reasonable time, and you must keep documentary evidence of children numbers, quantities claimed, proof of payment and all other relevant documents for at least 3 years after the end of the year in which they were drawn up.

If our inspectors visit you, they will expect to see a poster referring to the EU School Milk Subsidy permanently situated in a clearly visible and readable place at the main entrance of your premises. You can produce your own poster, or download a basic version meeting the minimum requirements from our website.

Occasionally claimants and schools may be visited by EU officials such as auditors, in order to check the accuracy of claims and the correct operation of the scheme, but EU officials will always be accompanied by RPA representatives.

Full information on the rules of the EU School Milk Subsidy scheme can be found in the RPA’s leaflet RPA(L)20, the Guide to the school Milk Subsidy Scheme, on the RPA website at: http://www.rpa.gov.uk/rpa/index.nsf/...OpenDoc ument

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are familiar with the rules of the scheme and that you comply with them.
__________________

[sarahlorraine73]

Thank you very much for that Pauline, have just been looking into this and when the agency sent me the info back they had put down that I was claiming for 8 children but was only claiming for 5!

[mumof4]

I have to say that cool milk www.coolmilk.com who I am with only claim for the children you have not the maximum on your certificate. I get a email every week stating what i have ordered for each day so I can see noone is claiming for more. I didnt know about the poster though, better get designing!!
Thanks Pauline

[Pauline]

Further clarification - this coming from the Department of Health. It confirms that children who are with you all day DO NOT qualify for two lots of milk e.g. two sessions and also confirms that it is you (the childminder) who is classed as the Nursery milk Supplier and is responsible for the claim, not the agent acting on your behalf and sending the milk to you:

This is what they said:

There are a number of issues here.

Schedule 5 of the Welfare Food Regulations 1996 states that in making a
claim, the daycare provider must provide information on the quantity,
price and total cost of milk actually supplied to children who are entitled to
receive this - ie on a day when a child under 5 is attending the day
care facility for two hours or more, he is entitled to receive a drink of
milk free of charge. If he is not being looked after on that day, he is not
entitled to the milk. Further, the daycare provider cannot supply him
with milk (as he is not there) and therefore should not be claiming for this.

In entering any agreement for the supply of milk , the day care provider
should ensure that the milk purchased will supply all the children under
five attending on that day for two hours or more. Therefore, the order
for milk will vary according to the number of children attending on a
particular day and whether they are entitled to receive this (ie there
for two or more hours on that day). It is likely that we would take the view
that the daycare provider is submitting a false claim for milk that is
not be supplied to children.

The day care provider is the approved Nursery Milk supplier (not the agent). Therefore, she is responsible for ensuring that she supplies
free milk to the children attending each day who are entitled to receive
this.
The number of children supplied on any particualr day may not be the
same number as those registered as they may attend on different days.

As she is the approved NM supplier, she is also responsible for ensuring
that claims are accurate (whether submitted by her or where she
authorises an agent to do this on her behalf) - Regulation 20(1)

In summary, she is required to supply free milk to a child entitled to
receive this and should not claim for milk she has purchased knowing
that a child is not attending on that day to receive it. She remains
responsible for the accuracy of the claim... not for the agent. We would
advise that any agreement she has for the delivery of milk take account
of her obligations as an approved NM supplier.

As you know, approval can be withdrawn if it is considered a day care
provider is not making adequate arrangements to supply Nursery Milk as
required in the regulations.

On the advice by agents that she can claim milk without keeping
registers, this is not strictly true. Although the regulations do not require
daycare providers to keep a register of entitled children, under Regulation 21 we can require a NM supplier to provide documents and other evidence that are needed in connection with a claim. It would be reasonable to ask for evidence on the number of children attending each session during the
period of the claim and, under Schedule 2(f), seek information on the quantity of milk actually supplied to children. We reimburse for milk supplied to entitled children.

I would also advise her that she should look to the NMRU for advice and
information on the scheme - not organisations like the agents ...as
the information on Ofsted registration numbers is wrong. It is not the daycare providers who have entitlement to Nursery Milk but the actual children who receive this on the days they attend daycare.

[KarenM]

I have chosen to go for the reimbursement option. Bit more paperwork each month, but I know I'm only getting what I need then. Thanks for all the info.

[Pauline]

I have chosen to go for the reimbursement option. Bit more paperwork each month, but I know I'm only getting what I need then. Thanks for all the info.

It is not as hard as it first seems Karen, I have always done it that way and you soon get the swing of how to do it and it is even better now you can do it online

For anyone who wants more info the website is here: http://www.nurserymilk.co.uk/

[Mouse]

I have chosen to go for the reimbursement option. Bit more paperwork each month, but I know I'm only getting what I need then. Thanks for all the info.

It's really easy Karen. I just go online, use my register too see which children I had each day & complete the form online. After you've done it oonce, it only takes a couple of minutes & the money goes straight into my bank account within a couple of days. Simples ;0)

[bexcee]

I do mine online and it is very easy. Sometimes I forget to do it for a couple of months but you can just backdate the claim and there is never any problems with it.
I like to be in control of what is happening with my business and really don't see the benefit of using one of these agencies.

[susi513]

I can understand that milk should not be ordered for children who are on holiday and if you haven't filled your vacancies you should only claim for the children attending, not the number stated on your certificate. But what about when a child is off sick - you don't know they're going to be away until you've got the milk in your fridge so it is still an expense? Anybody know if that's ok?

[Pauline]

I can understand that milk should not be ordered for children who are on holiday and if you haven't filled your vacancies you should only claim for the children attending, not the number stated on your certificate. But what about when a child is off sick - you don't know they're going to be away until you've got the milk in your fridge so it is still an expense? Anybody know if that's ok?

You would hope that common sense would prevail wouldn't you? How can you be expected to know if a child isn't going to be there, I wonder how schools and nurseries manage, that must happen to them everyday.

[pinkbutterfly]

Does anybody know if I can claim for afterschoolies? I have a 4 yo on roll she's just started reception class and is with me 2 hours after school. Or do I just assume the school is claiming her milk already?
Also on the application form when they ask about numbers of children are they the ones on certificate or actually attending because I have more attending (at different times of course) than stated on my certificate. Couldn't find an answer in their FAQs but maybe somebody on here is in similar situation ....

[Pauline]

Does anybody know if I can claim for afterschoolies? I have a 4 yo on roll she's just started reception class and is with me 2 hours after school. Or do I just assume the school is claiming her milk already?
Also on the application form when they ask about numbers of children are they the ones on certificate or actually attending because I have more attending (at different times of course) than stated on my certificate. Couldn't find an answer in their FAQs but maybe somebody on here is in similar situation ....

Not sure on the first question, I assume that you could claim as younger children go to nursery and you claim for them, perhaps worth emailing or phoning them just to be sure:

0844 991 4444
nurserymilk@mrm.co.uk

on your other question - It is the actual number of children attending, so some days there could be more and some days less.