Free school meals scheme in Redbridge this October half-term

All Redbridge families who received food vouchers in school summer holidays will do so once again during the upcoming half-term commencing Monday 25 October.

Redbridge Council has pledged £625,000 to ensure that children eligible to receive support through the free school meals programme will continue to receive food vouchers during all school holidays between now and Easter 2022.  

All those who received vouchers in the summer holidays will automatically receive their vouchers for the October half-term.

Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Jas Athwal, said:

“Redbridge was one of the first local authorities to step up during the pandemic to make sure local children continued to receive food throughout the school holidays, to prevent children from going hungry. This October half-term we will again be giving food vouchers to those families eligible for free school meals to ensure no child goes hungry in half term.

“Families across Redbridge continue to face the economic impacts of the pandemic, and this has been worsened by the government ending the furlough scheme and slashing universal credit by £20 per week. Redbridge council is stepping up where the government has let children and families down.”

The funding to provide school vouchers during holidays has been delegated from the Household Support Fund so that Redbridge Council can support families in need during the winter period.