Coram has welcomed today’s announcement from the Department for Education (DfE) that the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will receive continued funding from April 2026. £600 million is being invested to extend the programme by another three years, which supports children receiving free school meals by providing food and enriching activities during school holidays.
Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, said: “We welcome today’s news that the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme will continue. Our recent Holiday Childcare Survey found that a place at a holiday club costs an average of £179 per week in Great Britain, which many families on lower incomes would not have been able to afford if they had been left without HAF. HAF has given thousands of disadvantaged children something positive every school holiday through food, play and activities. As the summer holiday comes to an end and thoughts turn to back-to-school, it will be a big relief for parents, and a joy for children, to know that HAF will be there for the next three years.”
James Hempsall, Managing Director of Coram Hempsall’s, the national delivery partner for the Childcare Works HAF support programme, said: “This renewed commitment from government sends a powerful message: that every child deserves access to safe, engaging, and nourishing experiences, from all backgrounds. It also provides the stability and confidence our partners need to plan ahead, innovate, and deepen their impact.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the Department for Education, local authorities, and delivery partners in whatever way to ensure HAF remains a beacon of excellence and equity. Together, we will keep raising the bar, because when we invest in children, we invest in the future.”
To find out more about the HAF, please click here.
To find out more about how Coram Hempsall’s supports the HAF, please click here.