Guidance

Holiday activities and food programme: grant allocations

Local authority allocations for the holiday activities and food programme and local authority support for school age childcare.

Applies to England

Documents

Holiday activities and food programme 2021 financial year: S31 grant determination letter

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Details

The holiday activities and food programme (HAF) funds local authorities to co-ordinate free holiday provision for eligible children.

The local authority capacity support funding will support school age childcare.

From April 2026, the local government finance settlement will provide funding for HAF.

The ‘holiday activities and food and local authority capacity support: 2026 financial year expected allocations’ guidance sets out expected spend totals.

The 2021 financial year to 2025 financial year holiday activities and food programme grant determination letters:

  • set out payments for the financial year
  • includes supporting guidance outlining how we intend local authorities to use the funding

The Secretary of State for Education makes grant determinations under section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003.

Updates to this page

Published 10 March 2025
Last updated 17 December 2025 show all updates
  1. Added 'Holiday activities and food and local authority capacity support: 2026 financial year expected allocations'.

  2. First published.

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