Parents FAQs – Cool Milk

Parent FAQs

Please find below a list of our frequently asked questions. Click on the question below to reveal the answer. If your question is not listed below please contact us.

General information

Why should my child drink milk?

Milk contains nearly all the vitamins and nutrients of importance to humans, including over half of a child’s RDA of calcium vital to help build strong and healthy teeth and bones; and childhood provides a once in a lifetime opportunity to build these strong. For more information visit our Why Milk Is Great webpage.

My child is under 5 – why is the milk free?

This is part of a government directive to ensure that all children in the UK receive the nutrients that milk provide and so are entitled to one free 189ml portion of milk per day at school whilst under the age of 5. This cost is funded by the UK government.

How much will I pay for my child’s milk?

Price can vary slightly by area, please contact us for more information. The cost is kept low thanks to a subsidy provided by Defra via the School Milk Scheme. We operate on a pre-payment basis, and you can choose to pay for the half term, the full term or the full academic year. You can register your child online or you can collect a registration form from your child’s school.

I am in receipt of benefits – does my child qualify for free school milk once they turn 5?

Yes – In line with a recent change in legislation, schools must now provide free milk for children entitled to benefits-based free school meals.

If you feel that your child is entitled to free mid-morning milk, please contact the school directly to request they register your child with Cool Milk – the school must add the child to their Cool Milk account you cannot do this on their behalf.

Should you require any further information regarding this legislation please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 321 3248.

Why do you supply semi-skimmed rather than whole milk?

We provide semi-skimmed milk in line with guidance issued by the Food Standards Agency and the School Food Trust and the new government legislation and School Food Plan introduced in January 2015. You can request whole milk for medical reasons by emailing us at [email protected]. The FSA says that children should switch from whole to semi-skimmed milk at the age of two, and the government legislation states that primary school children must receive semi-skimmed rather than whole milk once they have turned 5.

Do you supply lactose/lactose free or soya milk?

Unfortunately due to low demand and limited supply availability with local dairies, we’re unable to offer this product. However please speak to your school directly to discuss what other options are available.

Is the milk that you provide UHT?

How do I register my child for the Cool Milk scheme?

If you haven’t registered with us before you will need to create a parent account; just visit www.coolmilk.com/register. You will then need to add your child(ren) to the account. If you already have an account with us, log in to your account at https://customers.coolmilk.com/manage/parent.php and you can add additional children.

What happens in the event of mid-term holidays or sickness?

To enable us to cancel your child’s milk and organise credit to your account, you must notify us of any holiday or long term absence by 5pm on Monday for it to apply the following week. If we have already delivered the milk and were not made aware of your child’s absence then unfortunately we are not in a position to be able to refund any monies as we have fulfilled our obligation to deliver the milk. Please note you do not pay for milk during school holidays.

How can I amend my details or notify you of a change of address or school?

In order to avoid interruption in your child’s milk supply, please let us know about any changes, by logging onto your online account as soon as possible. Notify us of any amendments before Monday at 5pm to ensure this is updated for the following week. Failure to notify us in time may result in your child not receiving their milk for the following week. If you are experiencing any problems please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 321 3248.

My child no longer wishes to have school milk, how do I close my account?

If your child is entitled to Free School Meals and therefore has free school milk simply contact your school and they will do the rest.

If you are paying for your child’s milk then email us at [email protected] and we will close your account and issue any appropriate refund.

What if my child attended school but has not received milk?

If your school was open but the dairyman was unable to make a delivery due to severe weather conditions, we will apply a credit to your account for the day(s) your child was without milk. If the school was open and your child was in attendance and the dairyman completed his delivery, please contact the dedicated Customer Service team and they will investigate the issue for you and ascertain if your child was on the drinking list issued to the school. If your child was on the drinking list then you will need to contact the school to confirm why they did not distribute the milk to your child.

Registrations

Can I register using a mobile phone or tablet device?

You can register with Cool Milk using many different internet enabled mobile phones and tablet devices. We are always looking to improve our website and hope to ensure registrations can be made on all smartphones and tablet devices in the near future.

If you have any issues registering on your mobile device, you can register online at www.coolmilk.com on a computer or alternatively, you can collect a registration form from your child’s school and return it to FREEPOST COOL MILK.

Why doesn't my child's school appear when I'm registering them online?

The school may not yet have started on the Cool Milk scheme or you may not be in the same postal catchment. Please contact our Customer Service Team who will be happy to help.

Why does my registration appear to be a duplicate?

We already hold details of when you registered previously or your child is already registered at a school. Please contact Customer Services who will advise of any existing account details.

I registered previously with Cool Milk and would like to either reactivate that account or register a new child, how do I set this up?

If you would like to reactivate a cancelled child account we would advise calling Customer Services who will complete this for you.

In order to register a new child you will need to log in to your existing account and select option ‘Child Account’ where you will find ‘Add New Child’.

If you have any difficulties please contact Customer Services.

When is the cut off for registrations?

Registrations can be done at any time however, if you would like your child to receive milk the following week all registrations and any payments (where applicable) would need to be made before Tuesday at 5pm.

Why is there only an UNKNOWN class available to select upon registration?

If class unknown is the only class option upon registration this would indicate that the school have not yet advised us of class names. Class unknown does not affect the receipt of milk at school.

Why is there a box at the bottom of the registration page for attendance days?

Many children that attend nursery or primary school for the first time do not attend every day. This facility allows you put a cross (not attending) or a tick (attending) against your child where you want to set their attendance days. You can then amend these days via your online account as and when required. Changes to the days prior to 5pm Tuesday will take effect from the following week.

Logging into my account

Can I log into my account using a mobile phone or tablet device?

You can log into your Cool Milk account using many different internet enabled mobile phones and tablet devices. We are always looking to improve our website and hope to ensure online accounts can be accessed on all smartphones and tablet devices in the near future.

My password/email address is wrong/not recognised when I try to log in to "My Account" on the website. Why is this?

Your log in email address will be the address used when you first registered with Cool Milk. You can reset your log in details by selecting the Forgot Password option. When this has been done you will receive a password reset email.

Please note that all passwords are case sensitive.

If your email address has changed please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 321 3248.

What is my username?

This is the email address supplied to us at the point of registration.

What is my password?

Please click forgot password, enter username and click submit. An email will be sent to you containing a new password.

Once logged in with my temporary password, how do I amend this to something more memorable?

There is a dark blue line that runs across the top of the log in page which states ‘change user ID/password’. Enter your old password and create a new one.

When I try to download my payment request it does not display it properly, what should I do?

Some browsers do not support our file format. In this instance we suggest you receive correspondence by post. Please call our Customer Service team on 0800 321 3248 who can arrange this.

Paying for my child’s milk

Can I pay for my child's milk using a mobile phone or tablet device?

You can pay for your child’s milk using many different internet enabled mobile phones and tablet devices. We are always looking to improve our website and hope to ensure payments can be made on all smartphones and tablet devices in the near future.

If you have any issues making a payment on your mobile device, you can pay online at www.coolmilk.com on a computer, by calling our payment line on 0800 321 3248 or at your local PayPoint outlet.

I have received a payment request for my child’s milk. Which methods can I use to pay?

You can make payment using all major debit and credit cards either online or by using our automated telephone service on 0800 321 3248. If you wish to pay using cash, simply take your payment request along with your payment to your nearest PayPoint facility. You can find your nearest PayPoint on their website.

Full details on methods of payment can also be found on your invoice. Please note that customers should not send cash in the post. Should you have any payment related queries, please contact us on [email protected].

I paid my payment request last week - why hasn’t my child received milk?

Due to dairy ordering systems beyond our control, we must receive both web and telephone payments prior to 5pm Tuesday for milk to commence on the following Monday. PayPoint payments must be made by 5pm on Monday for milk to commence the following Monday. If you make payment after this deadline, milk will not commence until the next week. Please note this deadline may change at certain times of the year, e.g. at the end of the year in December so please check the website front page for updates.

Where do I find my account number?

You will see your parent account number on your online account, once logged in this appears on the welcome page.

You will find your child account number on the left hand side of any invoice received.

If you are unable to locate either, please contact our Customer Service Team who will be happy to help.

Where do I find my invoice number?

Your invoice number will appear on the left hand side of the latest invoice received. If you have not received an up to date invoice please contact Customer Services.

Why is my child appearing in class UNKNOWN?

A child may appear in class unknown if the school have not yet advised us of class names or even if upon registration the parent was unaware of what class their child would be in, this does not affect the receipt of milk at school and can be updated at any time.

Why is my child not receiving milk?

Have you paid for the milk in advance if your child is over 5? If so, please contact Customer Services with your payment information which must include the last 4 digits of the card you paid with and the type of card, date you paid, amount you paid and how you paid e.g. via the website. We will then be able to investigate further.

Did you pay before the cut off of 5pm on the Tuesday?

Are you entitled to Free School Milk? If so, have you advised the school of your entitlement?

Does the invoice for your child have the current school that your child attends?

Unexpected closure and adverse weather conditions

What if my child cannot get to school?

Unfortunately, if your school is open and has taken delivery of your child’s milk then we will not be able to issue a credit for you.

I pay for my child to receive school milk but I have been notified that the school will be closed until further notice. Will I receive a refund?

If your school is closed and milk has not been delivered we will credit your account for the relevant absent days. Your account will also be credited if your school is open but delivery has not been made by the dairy.