Scottish Milk And Healthy Snack Scheme: Statutory Guidance For Local Authorities And Participating (Registered) Day Care Settings - updated 2025

1. Background

1.1 The Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2021 as amended (“the Regulations”)^[1] introduced a scheme, known as the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (“the Scheme” or “SMHSS”), in Scotland that replaced the UK Nursery Milk Scheme (NMS) using the powers in section 13 of the Social Security Act 1988^[2] from 1 August 2021.

1.2 The Scheme offers funding for a daily portion of plain fresh cow’s milk (or specified alternative) and a healthy snack (fresh fruit or vegetables) for pre-school children spending 2 hours or more in the care of a regulated day care provider and/or childminder that has registered for the Scheme.

1.3 The Scheme aims to ensure that as many pre-school children in day care as possible will receive a daily serving of milk and a healthy snack to contribute towards healthy growth and development and the promotion of healthy eating habits for later life.

1.4 From 1 April 2022, a national combined rate of 58.2p for milk, non-dairy alternatives and a healthy snack for every eligible child regardless of type of setting and local authority area will be in place whilst further long term action to review the Scheme is taken forward. There is no fixed proportion of the combined rate for milk, non-dairy alternative and healthy snack. The intention is to provide settings with flexibility to use the funding for milk, non-dairy alternative, fruit or vegetables in a way that best suits local needs and circumstances.

1.5 The aim of this guidance is to support local authorities and participating day care providers to implement the Scheme.