Spring Holiday, Activities and Food Programme #HAF2025

FREE activities and food from 7 to 10 April 2025 for children, young people and their families who are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals 

What is the HAF Spring Holiday Activities and Food programme? 

A range of free activities and food for children, young people and their families who are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) to access from 7 to 10 April 2025. 

From fun activities to multi sports camps, farms experiences, teen basketball camps, outdoor adventures, football camps, film making, music, gymnastics, arts, and crafts and more, we hope there is something for everyone. 

Across Milton Keynes, we have 7,500 individual sessions planned for the Spring Holidays. To book your activities, simply browse our programme and contact your chosen providers through the online booking system. 

Children and Family Centres servicing all of Milton Keynes will be delivering all-inclusive family HAF trips for children in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) to their reach areas and can be found on our booking system HAF Milton Keynes · Eequ. Please book with the centre that covers the area where you live, further information on Children and Family Centre services and each centres reach areas can be found here. 

Where can I find the activity programme? 

Evouchers will be distributed to children and young people identified through the school census that are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) and will be sent out by hello@holidayactivities.com on 09 March and will include a link directly to the booking system that will go live for bookings at 7:30am on 9 March. 

If you are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals (FSM) and have not received an Evoucher, please speak to your child’s school in the first instance if you have not received a code after 9 March. 

All HAF activities and sessions will be found in one place and are easy to book by registering with our online booking system with the programme available to view here with bookings commencing on 9 March.

How is the HAF programme funded? 

The council has been awarded grant funding, by the Department for Education (DfE), to coordinate free activities and food, for children in receipt of benefit-related Free School Meals (FSM), during the three main school holidays in Summer, Summer, and Winter 2025. 

We want to offer a diverse range of events this Spring to meet the local interests and needs of children, young people, and their families. We hope this programme of activities will help children and young people to: 

• eat more healthily over the school holidays 
• be more active during the school holidays 
• take part in engaging and enriching activities 
• be safe and not to be socially isolated 
• have greater knowledge of health and nutrition; and to be more engaged with school and other local services   

HAF Activities and booking – FAQs 

How much do these activities cost? 

All HAF session for children, young people and their families who are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals are free to attend. 

How do I book on to HAF sessions? 

Please contact providers directly through the HAF online booking system and book your activities using the unique Evoucher code you will receive on 09 March from hello@holidayactivities.com 

Once you receive your Evoucher, you will be able to view and search for suitable provision and register your interest through the new online booking system here and make bookings from the 09 March. Register your interest and book early to avoid disappointment as spaces are limited. 

My child has additional needs, will HAF sessions be suitable? 

Please speak to individual providers about your child. Providers are able to cater their events for those with special educational needs and disabilities and will need specific details to enable the correct support to be put in place ahead of the event. We offer a range of all-inclusive and SEND specific support places. Please find more information on how to find a HAF session here 

Is food provided at HAF sessions? 

All HAF sessions will include a healthy meal. When booking sessions with providers, please complete the dietary requirements section of the booking process to ensure all meals can be correctly catered to the individuals’ requirements. 

Is there a limit to the number of HAF sessions you can book? 

We provide each child access for up to 4 sessions during the Spring programme. 

We hope there is something for everyone in our programme and you may want to take part in multiple activities. 

However, we do ask you to only book those events you are sure to attend as 'covering slots just in case' prevents other families from accessing the opportunity. 

The HAF session I want for my child is fully booked. Should I contact them anyway? 

If the session you would like to attend is full, you are now able to add yourself to the online booking system waiting list. The provider will then be able to contact you if places become available.  

I can no longer attend the session I booked. What should I do?  

Please cancel any sessions you have booked and can no longer attend. We have limited places. Sessions which are booked and not attended, incur a cost to the programme and can stop other eligible families from accessing the provision. Please click link on How do I cancel a booking? | Eequ Help Center to find out how to cancel a session or contact the provider directly. 

Please email us at HAF@milton-keynes.gov.uk if you have any questions.   

Free School Meals

Who is eligible?

You must be in receipt of one of the below benefits to be eligible for free school meals for your child/children.

• Income Support
• Employment and Support Allowance – Income related
• Income Based Job Seekers Allowance (not Contribution Based JSA)
• Child Tax Credit only (with a combined family income of less than £16,190 per annum as assessed by HM Revenues & Customs) Please note, anyone receiving Working Tax Credit, regardless of income, will not qualify for free school meals.
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you receive)
• National Asylum Seekers Support (NASS)
• Guaranteed Element of Pension Tax Credit

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they’ll remain eligible until they finish that phase of schooling (primary or secondary).

If you think you may be eligible for Free School Meals, please contact your child's school or click the link below to apply.

Milton Keynes Council Free School Meals Application

HAF Annual report 2023-24

Please see information and family feedback on the HAF programme here in MKCC HAF Annual report 2023-24.

Cost of living support

If you are worried about your finances and how you are going to make ends meet, there is help available. Please find below links to some of the support available to the residents of Milton Keynes. Read our cost of living help factsheet. 

Help with paying your rent and Council Tax

• Housing Benefit and Council Tax reduction – Make a new claim for Council Tax Reduction or report a change in circumstances
• Discretionary Council Tax Reduction Scheme – MKC funded to provide additional support to those experiencing financial hardship.
• Discretionary Housing Payments – An additional payment to individuals on Housing Benefit that are struggling to meet a shortfall in their rent.

Help with essential costs including food and energy  

• Local Welfare Provision – MKC funded to provide essential support in the event of an emergency
• Food Bank - The provision of food, fuel, and small essential items, mostly in partnership with voluntary and charity groups
• SOFEA - support with food through community larders,  as well as wellbeing support.

Benefits calculator

Not on benefits or need to apply for another benefit

If you are not already receiving a benefit, the first thing you should do is make a new claim. Use the benefit calculator to work out which benefit you should claim.

You can also use this link if you are already receiving a benefit but wish to know if you should claim another benefit, such as Universal Credit.

Other government support

There are benefits you may be entitled to if your income is low or has gone down. 

• Cost of Living Hub - find out what support is available to help with the cost of living. This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.
• Universal Credit – tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Read more on the GOV.UK Universal Credit web page.
• Job Seekers Allowance – tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Read more on the GOV.UK Job Seeker’s Allowance web page.
• Income Support – tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Read more on the GOV.UK Income Support web page.
• Employment and Support Allowance – tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Read more on the GOV.UK Employment Support web page.
• Tax Credits – tell Her Majesties Revenues & Customs (HMRC). Read more on the GOV.UK Report Changes that Affect your Tax Credits web page.

NHS Healthy Start scheme

If you are pregnant, or have a child under 4, and you are claiming certain benefits you may be able to get financial help to buy healthy foods and milk under the NHS Healthy Start scheme.

If you’re eligible (check your eligibility here), then you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use at supermarkets, local shops and markets stocking fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables. You can also take your card to a local children’s centre to collect free vitamins for babies and young children.

It’s much easier to apply, now the scheme has been revised so families can apply online. A list of frequently asked questions can be found here.