Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40618 on Free School Meals: Coronavirus, what recent discussions he has had with Edenred on establishing a freephone helpline.

An Edenred phone number (0333 400 5932) has been set up specifically for the national voucher scheme for free school meals. Calling this number costs no more than the national rate and therefore is included within mobile phone contract ‘inclusive minutes’ and charged at the national rate thereafter.

We are working with mobile phone operators to ensure that the Edenred website is exempt from data charges.