Information for providers
What is the HAF Programme?
On 8 November 2020, the Government announced that HAF programme, which has provided healthy food and enriching activities to disadvantaged children since 2018, will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021, to children in every local authority in England. The programme will cover the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays in 2021. For more information on the national programme please visit the Government website.
What will the programme fund?
The purpose of this funding is to provide free holiday provision, which includes healthy food and enriching activities, to school-aged children eligible for benefits related Free School Meals (FSM) for an equivalent of at least four hours a day, four days a week and for six weeks a year.
It is not expected that all eligible children will participate, as the activities are voluntary, and we would encourage providers to make the holiday clubs available to any children not eligible for FSM, who can pay to attend. The provision should aim to support children, young people and families to:
- Eat more healthily
- Be more active
- Take part in engaging and enriching activities
- Be safe and not isolated
- Have greater knowledge of health and nutrition
- Be more engaged with school and other services
Funding can only be used for eligible FSM children, and activities and meals should be free for those eligible.
How do I apply for HAF funding and become a provider?
The deadline for providers to apply for HAF funding has now closed.
Frequently Asked Questions
For further information please visit our Frequently Asked Questions or email HAFSolihull@solihull.gov.uk.
Funding and Grants
For information about other sources of funding please visit our Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Funding page.
Providing Healthy Food Options
The provision of healthy meals is an important element of the HAF Programme. Please use the links below for further details on the school food standards
- School food standards: resources for schools (GOV.UK)
- School meals - healthy eating standards (GOV.UK)
- School Food Standards (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Here are some sample menu options for you to try.
Providing Enriching Activities
Sport England has teamed up with the Youth Sport Trust to develop a new online resource that will help more children be physically active. The new, free Active Recovery hub hosts hundreds of practical ideas to get children moving throughout the day. You are able to search for activities by age and the time of day they want to get active.
The activities are provided by sports organisations and there are a diverse range of inclusive activities to choose from. The new hub provides the ideal platform to get all young people more active and will provide valuable support for providers planning their summer HAF programme.