Supermarket vouchers to be given to Peterborough families during February half-term

Vouchers to the value to £15 will be sent automatically to eligible families using school data and information held by the city council.

Those eligible for the vouchers will be pupils who meet the following criteria:

- Early Years Pupil Premium

- Children eligible for income related funded two-year-old education

- Eligible for income-related Free School Meals

- Students eligible for 16+ bursary.

In total, over 14,000 vouchers will be issued, totaling over £211,000.

The council has urged 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.

The council has said that 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 add up to £2000 a year in Government funding to a school’s budget.

The half-term voucher will be issued by the end of the day on Saturday (February 11). The voucher will be sent by email and/or text to the nominated parent or carer. The voucher does not need to be used in a single shopping trip, but must be claimed by March 16.

Any child eligible for income-related free school meals, or any of the other criteria listed above, will automatically receive a voucher for the half-term break. Any children who become eligible up to 19 February will also a receive voucher. This will be sent when the council is notified of a change in personal circumstances.

Councillor Lynne Ayres, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education, Skills and the University said: “I know how much these vouchers mean to those families who receive them so I am so pleased that we are once again able to help.

“Only those families which are eligible for free school meals and have applied will receive the vouchers. If you think you might qualify and could be saving money, please apply via our website.”

Information about free school meals and how to apply can be found on the Peterborough City Council website.