A MAJOR government scheme offering free childcare and food worth £100s over the school holidays is to be extended within weeks.
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will continue for another financial year from April 1.
Parents on benefits can get help with childcare over the school holidays[/caption]
It is understood the programme will operate the same way in 2025/26 as it has in 2024/25.
The programme is funded by the Department for Education and provides free food, childcare, sports music and arts clubs to low income households during the school holidays.
Local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme which means what exactly is on offer depends on where you live.
Most offer help to families with children in receipt of benefits-related free school meals.
But local councils are also allowed to offer help to children outside of this group.
The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020.
The government says research has found the school holidays can be “pressure points” for families, leading to a “holiday experience gap”.
Children from low income households are less likely to get access to organised out-of-school activities, more likely to experience social isolation and see their nutrition and physical health suffer.
The HAF programme looks to address this, by providing free food and activities to children.
The initiative is mostly for Reception-aged children up to Year 11.
How to apply and what you can get
The application process and what help you can get varies based on where you live.
For example, Waltham Forest Council, in North East London, is offering holiday clubs and a daily meal over the Easter school holidays to children on benefits-related free school meals.
The provision is open to children from Reception up to Year 11.
Children in the borough are entitled to four sessions across the holidays.
You can book a place via www.walthamforest.gov.uk/schools-education-and-learning/schools-and-colleges/holiday-activity-and-food-programme-haf.
You can also email wfholidayactivityprogramme@walthamforest.gov.uk with any questions.
Lincolnshire County Council is offering provision to school aged children from Reception to Year 11 on benefits-related free school meals.
Residents can apply for help over the upcoming Easter holidays (April 7 to April 22) via www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/school-pupil-support/holiday-activites-food-programme.
You can apply from March 18 and will need a HAF voucher which is provided by your child’s school.
You can email HAF@lincolnshire.gov.uk for help and guidance if you haven’t received a voucher.
Who is eligible for benefits-related free school meals?
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals who is eligible for benefits-related free school meals.
All state-school children in England in Reception, Year One and Year Two receive free school meals regardless of whether their parents receive benefits.
This is through what’s known as Universal infant free school meals (UIFSM), which has been in place since 2014.
However, you can also claim free school meals for children aged up to 18 if you are on certain benefits, known as benefits-related free school meals.
You need to be claiming at least one of the following:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- The ‘guaranteed element’ of Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- Working Tax Credit (only in Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Working Tax Credit run-on (only in England and Wales)
If you are on Universal Credit or Tax Credits, you also have to meet other criteria. More information can be found on www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.
In England, you can apply for free school meals through your local council.
Other help available over the school holidays
If you are not eligible for the HAF programme in your local area, you might be able to get help via the Household Support Fund.
The latest round of funding closes on March 31, but a new round is running from April 2025 until March 2026.
The current round of funding is worth £421million and has been split between councils in England who then decide how to allocate their share.
Free money is usually transferred to your bank account or you are awarded vouchers to spend on energy bills or at supermarkets.
You usually qualify for help if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable.
Speak to your local council to see what help is on offer.
You can find what council area you fall under by visiting www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
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