Holiday Support Voucher scheme gives parents a vital boost during summer holidays

The scheme is funded by the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund and aims to support families with school-aged children in receipt of income-based free school meals, and those in early years with equivalent eligibility.

From the 30th of July, holiday support vouchers will begin to be distributed via email address, where the council holds a valid email for eligible families, and via post for all other instances. There is no need to claim or apply for the holiday support voucher as they are being issued automatically.

Eligible families will receive vouchers to the value of £15 per child per week during the summer holiday period. This equates to £30 for primary school-aged children and those in early years with equivalent eligibility and £45 for secondary school-aged children. This means that a combined total award of £60 will have been made to all children across the May half term and summer holidays.

Please note that families have until the 28th of August to use their voucher, after this date it expires and will no longer be usable. Both email and postal holiday support vouchers will be a Post Office Payout voucher which is redeemable at any local Post Office Branch for its corresponding cash value.

If you are unable to make it to a post office yourself, you can ask someone to redeem it on your behalf.

Councillor Malcolm Allan, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources at Stockport Council, commented:

“I’m delighted that we are continuing with our holiday support voucher scheme over the summer break to provide our most vulnerable families with additional help and eliminate some of the stress over the holiday period. We know that school holidays can be a tough time financially for parents, with increased food and childcare costs. The council wants to ensure that those who need it most are receiving this support, please make sure you redeem the voucher before it expires.”

Further support is available for families in receipt of income-based free school meals. The Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme offers free childcare places for eligible families for 4 weeks of the summer holidays. Find out more here.

For more information, visit https://www.stockport.gov.uk/holiday-support-vouchers