Information for schools and local authorities providing free school meals vouchers using Edenred’s Select Grocery eCodes.

Help and information for school administrators

The Department for Education national free school meals voucher scheme has now ended. However, Edenred UK are now working with a small number of local authorities to deliver Free School Meals vouchers to cover the school holidays and for pupils that cannot attend school because they are isolating. See the Department for Education guidance here.

Local authorities will decide how funding will be distributed, so please check with them if you are unsure how your school will deliver this support in your area.

How does it work?

Your school administrator will receive a welcome email with instructions on how to access the Edenred ordering system.

If your scheme is administered through your local authority, you should direct any queries regarding your account to them as they will be responsible for managing school administrator user accounts for schools in their area. They will also provide you with a detailed administrator user guide which must be read carefully before placing your first order.

The Edenred ordering website will enable you to:

  • Email

    • Email or post a 16-digit eCode to parents/carers which they can exchange online for a selection of supermarket ‘eGift cards’.

  • Print

    • Alternatively, if you do not have an email address for the parent/carer, or they do not have access to the internet, you can print off the voucher, or ‘eGift card’, and post it to their home address, or arrange a collection if easy and safe to do so.

  • Spend

    • The parent/ carer will then take the eGift card in-store and present it at the till to pay for food and groceries up to the value of the eGift card (some eGift cards can be spent online)

What help is available to parents/carers using the scheme?

You can download supporting guidance for parents/carers at the links below:

We’re here to help with any issues you might have with ordering. If you need further support please read the administrator user guide or parent information in the first instance, or email us at freeschoolmeals@edenred.com.