School Meal Debt Fund: report
Analysis of funding to local authorities to clear historic school meal debt up to 31 March 2024.
Good practice in school meal debt management
In February 2023 the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) published good practice principles for the management of school meal debt. The principles were produced to promote good practice in the management of school meal debt, whilst retaining a level of flexibility to enable local authorities to design and implement approaches which align with the unique needs and circumstances of their communities.
It is our and COSLA’s expectation that local authorities will implement these principles and it is clear from their reports that local authorities are taking steps to manage the level of new school meal debt and to offer assistance to those most in need.
Some councils took this as an opportunity to review and enhance their school meal debt policy and processes for monitoring and reporting in order to better help and support those families that need it the most.