Funding change ends school holiday food vouchers

Families eligible for benefit-related free school meals will no longer automatically be given supermarket vouchers during school holidays.

Bracknell Forest Council said it had made the "difficult" decision after the government made changes to how it funds council support for families facing financial difficulties.

The Household Support Fund (HSF), introduced in 2021, has been scrapped by the government and replaced with a new Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF).

The council said it could not tell the BBC how many families would be affected, but that the new fund would be used "as effectively as possible".

The authority is receiving just under £907,000 from the CRF for 2026/27, down slightly from the £979,000 it received from the HSF for 2025/26.

The CRF allows councils to give money to people in financial shock where there is "a sudden, unexpected expense or drop in income", like a broken boiler, the loss of a job or to prevent people from entering crisis.

The level of funding to councils across England from the CRF is broadly similar to the previous scheme though some, like Bracknell, have seen their amount drop slightly.

Cllr Paul Bidwell, cabinet member for economy and regeneration, said the council was committed to supporting local families facing financial difficulties.

"During the holidays, we continue to offer free or low cost activities through the holiday activities and food programme (HAF)," he said.

"This Easter, there are a range of HAF activities available, including sports, swimming, theatre, dance, arts and crafts."

The council added that further information on the end of school holiday voucher scheme would be available "in due course".

Wokingham Council said they had seen around a £300,000 reduction in funding, would which would "inevitably mean the funding would not stretch as far as last year" but did not confirm whether their voucher scheme would continue.

Reading Borough Council and Slough Borough Council said they were yet to decide on the future of their own school holiday voucher schemes, though their funding level had largely remained the same.

West Berkshire Council said it is committed to continuing to deliver HAF for its families until the end of the current funding agreement, which is March 2029.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has also been approached for a comment.

A DWP spokesperson said: "The £1bn Crisis and Resilience fund will act as a genuine safety net helping to prevent families from falling into crises which could see them become dependent on the welfare state longer term.

"Local authorities will design their schemes with the needs of their area in mind, and this can include using the fund for Free School Meals during school holidays if they feel that is where support is needed."