As reported by The Independent, government funding for a scheme that provides free meals and activities to children from low-income families during school holidays is being extended
Ministers have committed £600 million to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which supports councils in offering childcare, activities and meals to children eligible for free school meals. The investment will sustain the scheme for an additional three years.
According to the Department for Education (DfE), working families on free school meals could save more than £800 a year through access to holiday clubs. The HAF programme, open to children from Reception to Year 11, is estimated to save parents over £300 annually.
The announcement comes alongside the expansion of government-funded childcare. From this month, working parents in England can access 30 hours a week of free childcare for children over nine months old. The policy was first rolled out in April 2023 for two-year-olds.
In July, the Coram Family and Childcare charity urged ministers to guarantee the future of the HAF programme beyond March 2026 to prevent disadvantaged children from losing holiday support.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Giving every child the best start in life is my number one priority, which is why we are delivering on our commitment to provide hundreds of thousands of children with 30 hours government-funded early education.
