In Gloucestershire for example, a £15 voucher per week will be funded to cover the Easter holiday period per each eligible child. And in Greenwich, meals are being served up at various locations and there’s no age limits for children – you just turn up and tuck in.
Many councils are relying on the holiday activities and food programme to support low-income families over the Easter holidays. This is funded by the government and provides “healthy food and enriching activities” to children who are eligible for free school meals.
Councils are working with a range of organisations to provide free spots on their schemes.
This could be at a drama group, dance camp, sports club or other play groups. Over Easter, all participating children should be offered a minimum of four days of face-to-face provision. Those days should be at least four hours long and eligible children will receive at least one free, nutritious meal each day.
Are free school meals available in Scotland over the school holidays?
Some councils across Scotland are offering free school meal payments to low-income families over the school holidays.
Universal free school meals for children in primary one to five are not available over the holidays – but the Scottish government does fund free school meals over the school holidays for families with income-based eligibility.
You’ll need to check your local council’s website to find out how to apply and the amount that is available will depend on where you live. For example, in Dumfries and Galloway, families will receive a free school meals holiday payment of £2.50 per day.
These payments are typically paid automatically, and you don’t have to contact your council to get the payment.
Can I get free school meals in Wales over the Easter holidays?
Free school meals have been provided throughout the school holidays in Wales since 2020, but the scheme was cut off in June last year and it has not been continued for the Easter holidays either.
Jeremy Miles, minister for education and Welsh Language, said: “The decision not to extend funding into the 2023 summer holidays was not taken lightly by the Welsh government.
“However, as the subsequent comprehensive impact assessment demonstrated, and given that our budget is worth £1.2bn less in real terms than when it was set by UK government in 2021, it would have been unaffordable without having to make significant cuts in other key education budgets.”
Councils in Wales have typically used the funds to provide low-income families with meal vouchers, money or packed lunches to cover the full period of the school holidays. But without the additional funding, many will not be able to afford it this Easter.
You should check with your local council to see what support may be offered to you.
Are free school meals being offered in Northern Ireland over the Easter holidays?
Free school meals will not be provided in Northern Ireland. Last year, the government in Northern Ireland axed “holiday hunger” payments for children entitled to free school meals.
Families of 96,000 children received payments of £27 every fortnight during the school holidays since 2020. But the scheme did not go ahead last Easter or Summer.
The Department for Education said that “additional ring-fenced funding has ended and therefore school holiday food grants can no longer be made”. Campaigners called this decision “abhorrent”.
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