HAF eligibility
This holiday provision is for school aged children who receive 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 the claim verified by Warwickshire County Council (WCC).
All children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in England’s state-funded schools receive a free meal under the Department for Education (DfE) universal infant free school meal (UIFSM) policy. Infant pupils who receive a free meal under UIFSM must also be eligible for benefits related FSM to be able to access a place on the HAF programme.
Within Warwickshire, we can also allocate a limited amount HAF codes to children who are not in receipt of benefits related free school meals but could benefit from HAF provision. This is where a family is facing a significant financial barrier and meet one of these categories:
- Children with an allocated social worker or family support worker
- Young carers
- Those with an open early help plan
Your allocated worker can apply for a code by completing a referral form which will have been sent internally or is available from hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk on request. Unfortunately, we can’t process code requests directly from families.
This process will likely change throughout the academic year for each delivery period so is subject to change. HAF codes for families not receiving free school meals are only valid for one delivery period and not the academic year.
HAF entitlement
We work with a range of local activity providers to establish funded places with a healthy meal provision for eligible children during Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays. Unfortunately, the HAF programme does not run at half term holidays although we look to signpost trowards potential activities acoss Warwickshire through the Children and Families webpages.
Eligible children can access four days/sessions of free HAF funded provision in the Easter school holidays, 16 days/sessions of provision in the school Summer holidays and four days/sessions of provision in the Christmas school holidays. A session is normally a minimum of four hour inclusive of a food provision but activity times/duration vary with each provider.
What is a HAF code and what to if you don't have a HAF code or have lost it
The holiday activities and food (HAF) programme is for school aged children in full time education from reception to Year 11 (inclusive), who receive benefits related free school meals. The programme offers valuable support to families on lower incomes, giving young people the opportunity to access activities with a healthy meal provision over the main school holidays at Christmas, Easter and Summer.
HAF codes will need to be applied for via a brief online form, this is to ensure we have the correct contact details and the preferred method of how the HAF code is sent, alongside agreeing to our terms and conditions of the HAF programme. This form only takes a couple of minutes to complete, with a separate form required for each eligible young person.
Once HAF codes are processed and sent to families, this unique code will last the academic year so there is no need for new codes to be re-issued for each holiday period. The code will be valid for Christmas, Easter and Summer so keep it safe. We can always re-send it if you do misplace your code, just email hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk with the full name and date of birth for each young person you have previously completed the form for and then misplaced the code.
Example HAF activities
We are working with local providers across the county to offer eligible families a holiday programme that has a variety of fun, engaging and enriching activities. These include activities such as dance classes, multi sports clubs, drama classes, arts and crafts, animal care and much more. All activities are inclusive and this year we are starting to advertise SEND specific activities also within the HAF programme. HAF providers are also able to request additional funds for one to one support if this is required, however this is dependent upon the availability and suitability of staff and may not always be possible.
How to book HAF activities
All activity listings will be located through WCC's Children and families webpage.
For Summer activities, we are hoping to publish activity listings from Monday 12 June. All bookings are direct with the activity provider, with the unique HAF code provided required as part of the booking process. Bookings will not be accepted without an eligible code, with verification through the email/text message received. All provider contact details will be listed and available from the above dates.
How can you help the HAF programme?
If you are eligible and make bookings with HAF providers, we hope that young people have a great time! If for any reason that you are then unable to make the booking, then please contact the activity provider as soon as possible so the booking can be cancelled. Places can then be re-issued as we often have waiting lists for each activity, so it enables more young people to access a HAF provider in each holiday period.
Contact details
If you have any questions on the HAF programme, then please contact the Warwickshire HAF team by email - hafprogramme@warwickshire.gov.uk or through the Family Information Service helpline on 01926 742 274.
Cost of living payments
We expect cost of living payment funds to be made available for families on benefits tested free school meals in the next financial year, but we aren't sure of the details yet. For more information then please contact the Warwickshire Local Welfare Scheme. All information can be found via our Local Welfare Scheme pages, with contact details found at the bottom of the page to make an enquiry