Registration opens for holiday scheme for children on ‘targeted’ free school meals
Children and young people in Leicester who receive ‘targeted’ free school meals are invited to sign up now for free activities taking place during the Christmas holidays.
Starting on Saturday 19 December, the sessions include activities such as art, sport, outdoor fun, robotics, music and theatre – with each child taking part receiving a healthy meal each day.
Most provision will run for four days, but children on programmes offering fewer than four days of activities will be given a food hamper to take home with them.
Funding for the scheme has come from the government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF), which aims to help children from lower-income families stay active and eat well during the school holidays.
In Leicester, the activities – suitable for children aged from 5 to 16 – are being organised by around 37 providers at sites around the city.
Places, however, are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis to eligible families, with each child entitled to one programme only.
Assistant city mayor Cllr Elaine Pantling said:
“Since the government expanded the school free school meals scheme in September, making free meals available to all children in households receiving Universal Credit, it split benefits-related free school meals into two categories: ‘targeted’ free school meals and ‘expanded’ free school meals.
“Children qualify for ‘targeted’ free school meals if their household receives Universal Credit and has net annual earnings of £7,400 or less.
“These young people, from lower-income households, are eligible for the Holiday Activities & Food programme and I would encourage as many families as possible to sign up for these free activities.
“There’s a wide range of activities on offer at sites around the city, but places are limited, so please book early, if you’d like your child to take part in the programme.”
Subject to availability, bookings can be made up until the day before the start of the programme, but early booking is advisable. Some bookings do close earlier so families are advised to check the closing dates.
Information about the Holiday Activities & Food programme – which runs over a two-week period – has been circulated to children via schools.
Families with children who receive ‘targeted’ free school meals and live in Leicester, or who live outside the city but attend a city school, can register for a place on the Holiday Activities & Food programme at
Anyone who thinks their child should be receiving free school meals can find out more at
