Discretionary grant vouchers during school holidays coming to an end.
Dear Families
We have been advised by Suffolk County Council that there is an important change coming to the support available to families during the school holidays for children who are eligible for free school meals.
Since 2020, Suffolk County Council has been able to provide discretionary grant supermarket vouchers through a series of temporary government-funded schemes. We know this support has been valued by many families and has helped during school holiday periods.
The Government has now replaced the Household Support Fund with a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. This funding is intended to be used differently and, as a result, Suffolk County Council will no longer be able to provide discretionary grant supermarket vouchers during school holidays.
The 2026 summer holiday period was therefore the last school holiday period in which these vouchers were available.
We appreciate that families may have questions about this change. SCC assure families that free school meals during term time are not affected, and eligible children will continue to receive their usual school meals in school.
From 1 October 2026, families experiencing financial hardship should be signposted to Suffolk's Local Welfare Assistance Scheme at https://wwwsuffolk.gov.uk/lwas. Eligible applicants can receive a cash payment or cash-out voucher to help with essential costs, as well as support from Citizens Advice with issues such as budgeting, debt, household bills and making the most of their income.