Online Free School Meals: a revolution in public service delivery

Costs have been reduced although more citizens are applying for free school meals due to the increased ease of application.  For example one local authority Coordinator for Food in Schools has reported:

“Our take up of free school meals has increased by 2,500 to 11,000 but we’ve been able to reduce staff by more than half … because of the eligibility checking service. This has saved the council over £20,000.”

Feedback from on the ground supports this as seen in another local authority service coordinator’s report:

“… the feedback we have received from schools indicates parents find the ability to apply online preferable to completing a paper form. The two main reasons given for this are that the online process is quicker and easier, and that the online system offers a greater level of anonymity than completing a paper form either at the school or at the Civic Centre. This would explain the high number of applications we receive via the online system and helps explain the increased take up in free school meals we have seen over the last two years.”

In some local authorities, 65% of customers are selecting self-service digital channels, and where digital assistance is also provided, this figure rises to 100% - exceptional take-up for this demographic.

Data accuracy has improved and this has resulted in fewer parents/carers being provided with the benefit when they are ineligible and a consequent reduction in accumulation of debt.

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