Extra support available for low income families this Christmas

Published: 22 November 2021

Families in Devon on low-incomes, whose children receive free school meals, will get extra support this Christmas to help them buy food during the holidays.

Over the past year Devon County Council has provided supermarket vouchers worth £15 per child per week of the school holidays to families who qualify for free school meals, so their children don’t go hungry.

That figure has been doubled for Christmas, with an extra one-off £30 supermarket voucher, so families will receive a £60 voucher per child for the two-weeks to help with the additional financial pressure the festive period can bring.

Visit the the County Council’s website to find out more about the Free school meals holiday voucher scheme.

Children currently receiving benefits-related free school meals and their families can also take part in a Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) scheme for free over the Christmas break.

It aims to provide a wide range of fun and enriching activities and nutritious food in a safe and sociable environment for children and young people to develop new skills or knowledge and try out new experiences, make friends and have fun.

Visit the County Council’s website to find out more about the Holiday Activity and Food scheme.

It is part of a £5 million pound programme organised with money from the government’s new Household Support Fund to help people who are struggling this winter.