The Department of Health has launched a GB-wide public consultation on the future of the Nursery Milk Scheme. The main aim of this consultation is to explore options for modernising and simplifying the operation of the Nursery Milk Scheme to improve efficiency and provide better value for money, while ensuring that all children under five attending a childcare setting for more than two hours a day continue to receive free milk.

Nursery Milk is a universal benefit, meaning that childcare settings can claim the cost of milk provided to any child, regardless of the child’s home circumstances. All the options explored in the consultation ensure that the scheme will continue as a universal benefit.

The consultation will run until the 11  September 2012.  You can access the consultation paper, the impact assessment and equality analysis on the survey site.

In parallel with the public consultation, all childcare providers currently registered with the scheme are being asked to complete a simple survey about how the scheme works for them now and how potential changes might affect them and the children they care for.  This survey will close Monday 16 July.

For any general queries about the scheme or the consultation email  nurserymilk@dh.gsi.gov.uk