Families to receive supermarket vouchers for the school Easter holidays

A total of £390,000 of supermarket vouchers are being sent to eligible families in Peterborough to help them feed their children throughout the Easter school holidays.

The £30 vouchers will be sent automatically to eligible families using school data and information held by the city council.

Approximately 13,000 children and young people are eligible for vouchers in the Peterborough City Council area. The vouchers are funded by the Household Support Grant from Central Government

The city council is urging families to check whether they may be eligible for free school meals during term time, which in turn would make them eligible for supermarket vouchers in the holidays.

Councillor Ray Bisby, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education, said: "I am delighted that the Government has extended this scheme to enable vulnerable families to receive supermarket vouchers to help them with the costs of feeding their children over the school Easter holidays.

"I would urge anyone who is eligible for the scheme but has not already signed up to please consider doing so. These school holiday vouchers have helped thousands of families across the city. The free school meals scheme not only helps families saving around £450 a year per child but also helps their child's primary school receive much-needed additional funding."

Vouchers will be distributed to families with children and young people who receive:

Income-related Free School Meals (children and young people aged four to 16)

Early Years Pupil Premium under the income-based criteria

Funded Childcare and Education for two-year-olds under the income-based criteria

Any children who become eligible up until 12 April will also receive vouchers. These will be sent out when we are notified of newly eligible children by our Education Welfare Benefits Team.

Families currently paying for school meals would save around £450 a year for each primary school child if they were entitled to free school meals.

Providing free school meals can also add up to £1,500 a year in Government funding to a school’s budget.

Information about free school meals and how to apply can be found at www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/holiday-voucher-scheme

You need to provide basic details and a national insurance number.

The Easter holiday food voucher will be sent via email and/or text to the nominated parent or carer.

The email vouchers will come from [email protected].

Text vouchers will come from SchoolMeals and will be EVouchers.

Both will be sent out on Saturday 30 March 2024 and should arrive by 9pm.

All vouchers must be claimed by the 12 April 2024.

If you think you might qualify and could be saving money, please apply via www.peterborough.gov.uk