Holiday Activities and Food Programme
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to review the decision to end the School Holiday Voucher Scheme following the 2025/26 academic year.
Answered by Department for Education
Under the previous Household Support Fund (HSF), some local authorities funded voucher schemes during the school holidays.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) replaced the HSF in England from April 2026. The Fund provides a safety net for people on low incomes who are in crisis and need immediate financial help with essential costs, while also supporting longer-term financial resilience. Local authorities have been given the funding and flexibility to design support that works for their communities, as in line with the scheme’s guidance. Support for families facing financial hardship, including those in receipt of free school meals, remains available through the CRF throughout the year, including in school holidays. Alongside this, the Government is investing £200m per year in the Holiday Activities and Food programme, delivered by local authorities, providing meals, activities and free childcare to children from low-income families.
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