Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW
CHILD'S PLAY Parents could get free school meals for kids during summer holidays but they must apply NOW
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PARENTS could get a helping hand with free school meals throughout the summer holidays.
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will offer support worth £100s after it was given the green light to run for another financial year.
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The HAF programme was rolled out in England in 2021, following successful pilots between 2018 and 2020
Credit: Getty
It is funded by the Department for Education but is administered by local authorities, so each area varies in its offerings.
Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, has issued a warning to parents to apply for the scheme ahead of the deadline.
He warned that HAF isn't automatic and even if you've had help during previous school holidays, you will have to apply each time.
Parents will need to apply for free school meals every year before the school year starts in September.
Most local authorities offer to help 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.
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.
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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Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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