Changes to holiday meal vouchers announced in Somerset as government scheme ends
Somerset parents will face new procedures for food support from April
The government-funded Household Support Fund (HSF), which provided holiday food vouchers to parents in Somerset, will cease at the end of March 2026.
The vouchers, commonly referred to as free school meal holiday vouchers, will not be available for the upcoming Easter holiday due to the termination of the current scheme.
The Crisis and Resilience Fund is set to replace the HSF, providing an alternative form of support to families in need of food assistance. The new 'cash-first' model aims to offer families facing food shortages a direct way to secure necessary support.
Detailed information on how to access support via the Crisis and Resilience Fund will be announced shortly, with efforts to spread the word through schools and other platforms.
For those concerned about this transition, ongoing support can be accessed through various local community initiatives such as The Local Pantry Network, #Help4All, Community Hubs, SASP – Happy Healthy Holidays, and Healthy Start by the NHS. These resources aim to help families manage the period without holiday food vouchers effectively.