Parents can get summer holiday childcare for FREE thanks to little-known help – how to get it
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PARENTS who are struggling with money can get help with the costs of childcare for free over the summer holidays.
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme is a major Government scheme aimed at helping out low-income families.
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Kids can go to holiday clubs for free through the Holiday Activities and Food programme
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It's 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 can decide what they will provide parents so you'll need to check exactly what is on offer 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 initiative is mostly for Reception-aged children up to Year 11.
Again, you should check with your local council to see if you're eligible.
Most will have information on their websites or you should be able to give them a call or visit your local council office.
What help can you get and how can you apply?
As we mentioned, you'll need to check in with your local council to find out exactly what they're offering.
But the programme generally will provide holiday clubs where kids can take part in activities and eat healthy meals.
Some councils might coordinate the clubs themselves and others will work with organisations to provide the clubs locally.
Martin Lewis issues urgent warning to 800,000 parents missing out on £2,000 to help with summer childcare costs
The clubs will offer activities like arts, sports, drama and music, or they might even include trips.
The Government says the clubs must provide healthy free meals, nutritional education and physical activities on a daily basis.
In some areas you could be offered holiday club places for the equivalent of at least four hours a day.
Others may run a standard 8am-3pm day for free.
For example, Ealing Council says it is offering clubs and activities for a minimum of four hours per day, four days per week.
It says the programme will be available for children receiving benefits-related free school meals who are either at school or living in Ealing.
Meanwhile Manchester City Council says its HAF programme is mostly for children who get free school meals but you can check your eligibility here: https://mcractive.com/haf/.
Extra support is also on offer for children with special educational needs plus young carers and those in care.
The HAF clubs are being offered over the summer holidays for four weeks.
However they're also offered for a week during the Christmas and Easter breaks.
The application process and what help you can get varies based on where you live.
What other help can you get?
The Government is also encouraging families to sign up for Tax-Free Childcare to save on their childcare costs.
The scheme can give you £500 every three months for each of your children.
You can use the cash to pay for approved childcare like nannies, nurseries, childminders and after school clubs.
If you take advantage of it, it can save you up to £2,000 a year for each child.
You could be eligible for it if you:
Have a child or children aged 11 or under. They stop being eligible on September 1 after their 11 th birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until September 1 after their 16 th birthday
birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until September 1 after their 16 birthday The parent and their partner (if they have one) earn, or expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average
Each earn no more than £100,000 per annum
Do not receive Universal Credit or childcare vouchers .
You can visit gov.uk to check your eligibility.
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