HAF Annual Report 2023/24

The HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme offers free holiday provision, including healthy food and enriching activities, in the Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays, for school-aged children in reception to year 11 inclusive, who receive benefits-related free school meals.

In 2021, the government announced a three-year funding settlement for the HAF programme to March 2025, which follows the national rollout of the programme across England in 2021.

Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being less likely to access organised out-of-school activities; more likely to experience ‘unhealthy holidays’ in terms of nutrition and physical health; and more likely to experience social isolation.

The HAF programme aims to respond to this issue.