Holiday Activities and Food (HAF): How Free Holiday Clubs Actually Work

School holidays can be a double squeeze for families on a tight budget: childcare to find, and children to feed without the free school meals that help during term. A programme called HAF exists precisely to ease that, offering free holiday clubs with activities and a meal, yet many eligible families have never heard of it. Here is how it works and how to find yours.

What HAF Is

HAF stands for the Holiday Activities and Food programme. It is a government-funded scheme, delivered locally through councils, that provides free holiday club places for eligible children during the main school holidays, typically Easter, summer and Christmas. The clubs combine activities, things like sport, games, arts and trips, with a healthy meal, so children get somewhere to go, something to do, and something to eat. It is designed to support families who might otherwise find the holidays especially hard.

Who It Is For

HAF is primarily aimed at children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals. If your child qualifies for free school meals on the basis of your income or benefits, they are usually eligible for a funded HAF place. Councils may also offer some places to other children at their discretion, but the main funded offer is targeted at free-school-meal-eligible children. If you are not sure whether your child qualifies for free school meals, it is worth checking, as it can unlock HAF places too.

What the Clubs Offer

The exact offer varies by area and provider, but HAF holiday clubs generally include:

• A programme of activities across part of the day, often several days a week during the holidays
• A nutritious meal provided as part of the session
• A safe, supervised environment run by local organisations, such as sports clubs, charities or community groups
• Sometimes additional elements like advice for families or enrichment activities

Because the clubs are run by a range of local providers, what is on offer, and where, differs from place to place, which is part of why finding your local scheme matters.

How to Find and Book Your Scheme

• Search your local council's website for "HAF" or "holiday activities and food", where the local scheme and providers are usually listed
• Ask your child's school, which is often told about the local HAF offer and how to access it
• Look out for information sent home before the holidays, as schools frequently share HAF details with eligible families
• Follow the council's booking process, which may involve a code or confirmation of eligibility, and book early as places can be popular

Do Not Assume It Is Not for You

Many families who would qualify simply never look into HAF, either because they have not heard of it or assume it is not for them. If your child gets free school meals, it is well worth exploring, both for the childcare it provides and for the activities and meals your child would enjoy. There is nothing to lose by checking with your council or school.

Not Missing the Booking Windows

HAF places are seasonal and often need booking ahead of each holiday, so timing matters. My School Agent can pull the school and council emails about holiday clubs into a daily briefing and shared calendar, so booking windows before Easter, summer and Christmas do not pass you by. Because the scheme and its eligibility are delivered locally and can change, check the current details with your own council, and if in doubt about free school meal eligibility, ask your school, as it may open more doors than you expect.