The families facing a food crisis in school holidays | Letters

Andrew Forsey, national director of the charity Feeding Britain, warns that 500,000 children from low‑income families will be left without vital support during school holidays because the government has severed the link between means‑tested free school meals and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme. While these children have become eligible for free meals during term time, they are now disqualified from the HAF scheme, which provides nutritious meals, enriching activities and free childcare throughout the holidays. The policy change means that working parents earning as little as £7,500 a year will be unable to access this assistance, jeopardising the gains made for their children during the school year.

The decision to break the historic connection between free school meals and HAF comes despite the government’s acknowledgment that children from poorer families need extra help during term time. Since its inception, eligibility for HAF has been tied directly to receipt of free school meals, ensuring a seamless safety net across the academic calendar. By removing this link, the government creates a “cliff edge” where families who previously received support now face a sudden loss of essential nutrition and activity provision during the holidays, potentially eroding any progress made in child health and wellbeing during term time.

Forsey urges the Treasury to reverse the policy before the budget is finalized, arguing that restoring the link is the only way to prevent a wave of low‑income families from falling into hardship during next year’s holidays. He stresses that without the holiday support, many children risk experiencing food insecurity and missed educational opportunities, while parents may be forced to cut back on work to cope with the shortfall. The appeal highlights the broader implications for child development and social equity, calling on policymakers to recognize the continuity of need beyond the school term and to act before the next holiday period begins.

⚡ Effects Interpreter