Am I eligible for a free HAF place?
All school aged children from reception to Year 11, in receipt of benefits related free school meals are eligible for:
- up to 4 free HAF sessions over the Easter and Christmas holidays, and
- up to 16 free HAF sessions over the summer holidays
To make it easier for families to access their free HAF places this summer, we will be working with schools to issue Holiday Activities e-vouchers directly to parents/carers of eligible children.
If you have an eligible child, you will receive an email and/or text from Hello@holidayactivities.com in the run up to the Easter, Summer and Christmas holidays, providing a link to their eligibility e-voucher.
The voucher includes a link to Leicestershire’s HAF webpage where you'll be able to find details of the providers offering HAF for that holiday and their booking information. The voucher also includes a unique eligibility code for you to share with your chosen HAF provider when you book your place.
See examples of how the voucher will look:
If your child receives benefits related free school meals and you do not receive a voucher please contact your child’s school in the first instance to check whether a voucher has been ordered for your child.
Contact details for queries
If you're unsure whether you were issued a voucher, please contact your child’s school in the first instance to check.
You may also need to contact your child's school to ask them to order a voucher for your child, if you only recently made a claim for benefits related free school meals.
If the school has closed for the holidays, you can contact hafeligibility@leics.gov.uk and our HAF team will help you.
If you have any issues opening your voucher, please contact the e-voucher support team on support@holidayactivities.com for assistance.
Free school meals and eligibility
If your child receives a free meal under the Universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM) policy, you must also be eligible for, and have an active claim for benefits-related free school meals to access a free place on the HAF programme.
How do I book my free HAF place?
HAF holiday club sessions are being delivered by a number of providers at venues across Leicestershire; places must be booked directly with the HAF provider. Details of our HAF providers and their booking information are updated each term.
Please note:
- the HAF programme offers eligible children a maximum of four HAF sessions at Easter, 16 sessions in the summer and four sessions at Christmas and does not run in half term holidays.
- the HAF programme is separate from the free school meals holiday voucher scheme.
Frequently asked questions
What are benefits-related free school meals?
Benefits-related free school meals (FSM) are available to pupils if their parents are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, and have a claim verified by their school or local authority. View information on who can get free school meals and how to apply
What if my child receives universal infant free school meals?
Infant pupils who receive a free meal under universal Infant Free School Meal (UIFSM) policy must also be eligible for benefits-related FSM to access a free place on the HAF programme. View information on who can get free school meals and how to apply
What if my child does not attend a Leicestershire school?
Leicestershire Holidays Together is a free and exciting Department for Education-funded holiday programme for school-aged children and young people, who are:
- attending Reception to year 11 (inclusive)
- receiving benefits-related free school meals
and
- living in Leicestershire
If your child meets these criteria, and we are able to get confirmation from your child’s school or the relevant local authority that they receive benefits-related free school meals, then we will be able to confirm eligibility for a HAF place.
What if my child is not eligible for HAF?
Some HAF holiday clubs will also offer fee-paying places for children and young people not eligible for free school meals.
Families eligible for Universal Credit may be able to claim back up to 85% of their childcare costs.
Please contact your chosen holiday club provider directly for more information about fee-paying places.
A limited number of funded holiday club places are available for children who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals and these places will be managed through a referral process.
The referral process requires a professional working with the child/family to email the HAF team: haf@leics.gov.uk with the child’s details and reasons for the referral.
The number of referral places will be capped per holiday period, in line with the DfE guidance and referred places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
What if I live in Leicester City?
The Leicestershire Holidays Together HAF programme is open to Leicestershire residents only. If you live in Leicester City, you can find information about the Leicester City HAF programme and how to apply for a place.