THOUSANDS of households struggling with the cost of living can get up to £120 in vouchers to pay for food this half term.
You can get the help via the Household Support Fund (HSF) if you receive free school meals.
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The HSF is a pot of money from central government that has been allocated to councils in England.
But what you can get depends on where you live as not all local councils have been given the same amount of money.
Over 6,650 children in Bedford should have already received, or expect to receive, £15 supermarket vouchers.
The help is being dished out to families who are entitled to free school meals.
The vouchers will come via email or through the child’s school as per usual.
The criteria for free school meals varies depending on where you live and your financial situation.
For example, in England you are entitled to free school meals if your child is between Reception or Year 2 regardless of your income.
From Year 3 onwards you have to be receiving certain benefits to be in line for the meals.
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The rules are different in Scotland and Wales.
The best thing to do is check out your local council’s website for eligibility rules.
But we’ve rounded up some of the councils offering vouchers to children on free school meals over half term.
Derbyshire
Parents in Derbyshire could get up to £120 in free supermarket vouchers to help them this half term.
The vouchers will be sent via text message or email.
There is no need to apply as the vouchers are being sent automatically.
To be eligible for the payment, you must:
- Have a child who received benefit related free school meals between September 1 and December 22
- A child in an early years setting (nursery or pre-school) who received free childcare for two-year-old
- A child who received the early years premium for three or four-year-olds between September 1 and December 22
- Be a care leaver aged up to 21 and living independent
Households will get a £40 voucher per eligible child.
So if you have three children, you could get up to £120 in help.
Bedford
Bedford Council is offering over 6,000 children on free school meals supermarket vouchers worth £15 to cover any extra food costs this half term.
The vouchers are being issued via email or through the child’s school.
Children are eligible for the vouchers if their family receives one of the benefits listed below and has applied for free school meals:
- Universal Credit – with an annual earned income of no more than £7,400 after tax
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support under Part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit run-on (paid for the four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit)
- Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit) with an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
- Early Years Pupil Premium
- Two Year Old Funding
Essex
Essex Council is issuing 50,000 pupils with vouchers worth £15 to spend in supermarkets.
The council has not confirmed what supermarkets the vouchers can be redeemed at.
The vouchers will be sent to eligible children’s parents via school, college or early years provider.
Devon
Devon County Council is also dishing out supermarket vouchers to families on free school meals.
Eligible families are being sent a unique code via email or letter which can be entered on to a portal on the council’s website.
After this, they’ll receive an e-voucher which can redeemed at a number of supermarkets.
The full list is Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Aldi, Iceland, Mark and Spencer and Waitrose.
Haringey
Households in Haringey are receiving £15 supermarket vouchers this half term.
Eligible families were issued a £70 voucher in December.
The February vouchers are being issued via the child’s school.
What are free school meals?
Free school meals are available to millions of pupils across England, Scotland and Wales.
The idea behind them is that children get access to at least one nutritional meal per day from Monday to Friday.
But the criteria to get free school meals varies across all three countries.
Scotland and Wales have committed to eventually rolling out the benefit for all primary school pupils.
At present in Scotland, all students can get free school meals between reception and year five, regardless of the parents’ income.
In Wales, all pupils in reception get free school meals, and by the end of the year, this offer will be extended to all year one and two pupils.
By the end of 2024, all primary school pupils in Wales will get free school meals.
In England, all children in reception, year one and two can get a free meal in school.
After that point, you will have to be receiving certain benefits which prove you need help paying for your child’s meals.
You might get free school meals in England for a children beyond Year 2 if you receive one of the following benefits:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- The guarantee element of Pension Credit
- Tax Credits
- Universal Credit
In all three nations, you qualify if you are in receipt of certain benefits regardless of income, including: income support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
In England and Wales, this also includes the guaranteed element of Pension Credit, and working tax credit.
But for millions of families on Universal Credit, there are income requirements.
In England and Wales, you must have an income of £7,400 a year or less, not including benefits. Those on child tax credits must earn under £16,190 a year.
How can I apply?
The application process for free school meals is different depending on where you live.
In England, you can find out whether your child is eligible on your local council’s website.
If your child is entitled to free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme, which offers support over school holidays.
If you don’t know what council area you fall under, you should use the government’s council locator tool found online.
You should apply through your local council if you live in Wales and Scotland too.
In Northern Ireland, residents have to contact the Education Authority to get any help.
