School holidays can present families up and down the country with the problem of affording food shops.
Feeding the family can become more challenging during this period as free school meals are not provided and as the cost of living crisis continues it can be even tougher to save money.
There is, however, some support available for families during this time.
On our platform we have seen an uptick in members of our community starting fundraisers to accommodate for times when children may be missing out on a meal.
We have compiled a round up of the support that’s available across the UK.
Read on to find out about free school meals eligibility and what help is available to you.
In England, the first three years of all infant state schools can get free school meals, so that is reception, year one and year two.
Children of all ages – from nursery to sixth form – may be eligible if they live in households receiving income-related benefits, including:
In order to make a claim you must have a household earning a maximum income of £7,400 a year after tax, not including benefits.
The household-income threshold in Scotland is £8,712. In Northern Ireland it is £14,000.
The level of support you can access depends on your income and personal living circumstances.
In England, the government can deliver support during the school holidays. This comes in the form of the Holiday Activity and Food Programme.
On 27 October 2021 the government announced a further investment of over £200 million per year over the next 3 financial years for the holiday activities and food programme (HAF), which followed the successful rollout of the programme across England in 2021.
This funding will be for 152 upper tier local authorities to coordinate and provide free holiday provision including healthy food and enriching activities. The programme will again be available to children in every local authority in England.
Previously, the government has offered financial support during the school holidays. This was sparked by the pandemic and the greater need to help families while children couldn’t go to school.
In Scotland, all children in primary 1 to 5 get free school meals.
Children after primary 5 could still get free school meals if you’re on a low income. Your child can get free lunches in school if you get:
There are also many programmes running to get children food before school starts.
Low income families may also be eligible for the Scottish Child Payment Bridging Payment. It’s a weekly payment of £25 that you can get for every child you look after who’s under 16 years of age. You’ll get the payment every 4 weeks if your application is successful.
The Welsh Government has discontinued its free school meals scheme for school holidays.
However, some local authorities still offer similar schemes to families in need.
The free school meals scheme during school holidays has also been discontinued in Northern Ireland.
It was discontinued after March 2023.
Away from government support, there’s also other means of getting financial assistance.
If other forms of funding are falling short, crowdfunding can provide an alternative way of raising much-needed funds.
Supermarkets and other retailers commonly offer discounts and free food to children and families over the school holidays too.
Many British supermarkets recognise the breaks from school can be a challenging time for families as they often need to spend more.
The best way to find the best deals is to take a look at providers online and see what the latest discounts are.
If you would like to start a fundraiser to support school children, it couldn’t be easier. You can set up a fundraiser in less than three minutes and we have a support team who are on hand to help with any queries you may have.