The Welfare Food Regulations 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations consolidate with amendment the Welfare Food Regulations 1988 which provide for a scheme for the distribution of welfare food. The Regulations take account of Council Directive 80/181/EEC (OJ No. L39, 15.2.80, p.40), as amended, on metrication.

Part II of the Regulations prescribes welfare food entitlements:—

(1) free milk for expectant mothers and for children between the ages of one and five years if they are members of a family entitled to income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance (regulation 3);

(2) free milk for children over the age of five and under the age of 16 years who are unable to attend school because of a disability (regulation 3);

(3) free milk or dried milk for children under the age of one year if they are members of a family entitled to income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance (regulation 4);

(4) free vitamins from clinics for children under the age of five, mothers who are breast-feeding their children and expectant mothers if they are members of a family entitled to income support or income-based jobseeker’s allowance (regulation 5);

(5) dried milk purchased at clinics at a reduced price for children under the age of one who are in a family entitled to family credit (regulation 7).

Part III regulates the issue, use and control of the milk tokens with which the beneficiaries specified in regulations 3 and 4 obtain their welfare milk entitlement. It provides for making payments to beneficiaries who do not receive milk tokens (regulation 12).

Part IV regulates the supply of free milk to beneficiaries in exchange for milk tokens. It provides for reimbursing an amount to suppliers for milk supplied to beneficiaries (regulations 16 and 17).

Part V provides an additional entitlement to free milk or dried milk for children under the age of five years on each day that they are looked after, or provided with day care, by a nursery school or other day care provider (regulation 18). It provides for the reimbursement of the cost of the free milk supplied (regulation 20).

Part VI requires suppliers of welfare food to furnish information connected with reimbursement (regulation 21). It applies enactments relating to offences (regulation 22). It contains revocations and transitional provisions (regulations 23 and 24).

These Regulations do not impose a charge on business.