Gov extends HAF funding
Alongside the HAF extension, ministers are also rolling out expanded free childcare from September, covering children from nine months to reception
Register to get 1 more free article
Reveal the article below by registering for our email newsletter.
Want unlimited access? View Plans
Already have an account? Sign in
The government has pledged £600m to extend the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme for another three years, providing meals and activities for children from lower-income families during school holidays.
Ministers said the initiative – first introduced nationally in 2021 – “helps to close development gaps, boost confidence and social skills, and ease pressure on family budgets”. The Department for Education (DfE) estimates it saves parents more than £300 a year and reached over half a million children in the past year.
Andrew Forsey, national director of Feeding Britain, said: “The support provided to children from lower incomes through the Holiday Activities Fund HAF eases the pressure on family budgets during the school holidays, enhances their access to enriching and physical activities, and gives them a healthy meal each day during the school holidays.
“This delivers a raft of benefits for children and their families, so it is excellent news that the government is extending this provision for a further three years. Knowing that this support will continue to be available, for the next few years, will lift a weight off their shoulders.”
Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall added: “Making sure that children have hungry minds, not hungry bellies, will help them to fulfil their potential in life, and that is what this Government is all about.
“Our historic expansion of free school meals to families on universal credit will lift 100,000 children out of poverty and tackle term-time hunger. That is alongside the £2.5 billion we are investing in the household support fund, and our commitment to funding the holiday activities and food programme, which will tackle holiday hunger too.”
Alongside the HAF extension, ministers are also rolling out expanded free childcare from September, covering children from nine months to reception. Parents have been urged to apply for the 30 hours of government-funded provision within the next three days to avoid missing out.
The Best Start HAF programme provides free places for school-aged children from reception to year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals.