Changes to free school meal holiday vouchers

Use this page to find out about changes to the free school meal holiday supermarket voucher scheme.

Free school meal holiday vouchers will continue for the summer 2026 school holidays. From September 2026, these holiday vouchers will no longer be available. This follows a change in the rules around how government funding can be used.

If your family are eligible for benefit-related free school meals during term time, this service will continue in the same way during term time. If your children are educated other than at school, term-time support with food will also stay the same.

If your family is on a low income, we’ll continue to support you in the school holidays, but this will be through other needs-based services.

Why this change is happening

Free school meal holiday supermarket vouchers are currently funded through a government grant. From September 2026, the rules for this grant will change, and it will no longer allow councils to provide holiday supermarket vouchers in the same way.

Instead, we must use the grant to provide crisis support, based on a needs assessment. This means we will continue to help your family if you’re struggling, but will offer support in a different way.

We will focus on families who need help at that time, rather than providing vouchers automatically.

How we'll assess needs

If you apply for crisis support, our welfare support team will carry out a needs assessment.

This approach helps us to:

• make sure support reaches families who need it at that time
• use the funding fairly and in line with the grant rules
• change the support if a family’s circumstances change

 

Type of support available

Where possible, we give families money to spend through crisis payments or the Welfare Support Scheme. This gives you more choice over what you buy and helps you deal with your most urgent needs. It also follows national guidance for helping people in a crisis.

Families who need help can use this money to buy food. You can also use it to cover other urgent household costs.

If you qualify for crisis payments, we will usually make a bank payment. In some situations, this may not be the best option, and we will offer vouchers instead.

We are also offering resilience support, to help you avoid reaching a crisis point. This includes budgeting, financial advice and support accessing food from partners such as Clean Slate and Bath Mind.

Get help with food costs

From September 2026, families on a low income can get help with food costs through needs‑based support.

You may be able to get support through:

• Crisis payments – cash support following a simple assessment of your needs
• Local welfare support – help with food and other essential items

This support is based on individual need, rather than paid automatically. It is not paid regularly – it’s provided when circumstances change. It is available all year round, not just during school holidays. You can access it when your family is in financial crisis.

Apply for crisis payments

You may be eligible for crisis payments if you live in a low-income household and have experienced:

• a sudden financial shock
• an unexpected expense
• a sudden drop in income

Where possible, we pay crisis payments in cash.

Check if you are eligible and apply for a crisis payment.

Apply for welfare support

If you live in Bath and North East Somerset and are in financial crisis, you may be eligible for short‑term financial support from the Welfare Support Scheme.

This support can include:

• vouchers
• help to buy essential items
• short‑term help with living costs

Check if you are eligible and apply for welfare support.

Find out about the Holiday Activities and Food programme

Families can also get support through the Holiday Activities and Food programme. It provides free holiday clubs for children and young people who receive benefit-related free school meals. They can take part in activities and receive a free, healthy meal each day.

Find out more about the Holiday Activities and Food programme.

Get advice and wellbeing support

We also offer free advice and support to help families manage money, stress and wellbeing. This support does not include cash payments, but can help you:

• manage your budget
• get financial advice
• access wellbeing and mental health support

Free budgeting help and financial advice is provided by our partner organisations, including Clean Slate and Bath Mind. You can access this support through our Community Wellbeing Hub, which will connect you to the right services for your situation.

Get support through the Community Wellbeing Hub.