Meals & More Welcomes £600 Million HAF Extension – But Warns More Is Needed to Feed Every Child

Meals & More welcomes the Government’s recent announcement of a £600 million extension to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, recognising this as a crucial step in supporting children on free school meals during school holidays.

However, this funding only reaches a limited number of children, and we must take this opportunity to look beyond what’s already in place.

At Meals & More, we work to bridge the gap – supporting children and families who fall outside statutory provision, with the aim to ensure that every child can access healthy food and enriching activities all year round, not just during school holidays.

As the cost of living continues to rise, more families are being pushed into hardship – and more children will become eligible for free school meals and therefore HAF. But £600 million reflects the cost of meeting today’s need, not the growing demands of tomorrow.

“We welcome this continued investment in the HAF programme, which plays a vital role in supporting children during school holidays. But even within that window, the need continues to grow — and many children still miss out. Through our strong network of delivery partners and committed corporate supporters, Meals & More helps to bridge those gaps by supporting holiday provision in communities that need it most. Together, we’re working to ensure every child can access healthy food, enriching activities, and a sense of belonging when school is out."

Peter McGrath, Operations Director at Meals & More.

We are proud to work alongside our founding partner Sysco, and with national networks such as Feeding Britain, to extend the reach of holiday support through powerful, practical partnerships. By investing in community-led clubs, Meals & More strengthens the local infrastructure that children and families rely on – delivering wraparound support, enrichment, and connection that sits alongside statutory provision, not instead of it.

Together with local providers and national partners, we are building a joined-up approach to tackling food insecurity – because every action counts, and no child should go hungry due to postcode, policy, or timing.

We welcome this renewed investment and remain committed to working collaboratively to close the gaps, reach more children, and ensure long-term, sustainable solutions for families across the UK.