Council Plans to Extend Food Voucher Support
Cambridgeshire County Council is expected to approve proposals to continue providing supermarket vouchers to families eligible for free school meals during school holidays. This initiative aims to extend financial assistance following the conclusion of the government's Household Support Grant, which aided low-income households with essential expenses such as food and energy bills.
The proposals, set to be discussed at the Children and Young People Committee meeting on Tuesday, outline that the new vouchers will be valued at £10 per child per week during holiday periods, a reduction from the previous £15 amount.
The council has allocated £1 million to fund the voucher scheme, describing it as a "transitional arrangement" designed to bridge support until further policy changes take effect.
The documentation presented to the committee notes that the current plans are intended to align with the anticipated revisions to free school meals eligibility scheduled for September 2026.
The government has announced that starting in September, all households receiving Universal Credit, regardless of income above the current £7,400 threshold, will qualify for free school meals.
The vouchers will be financed through a newly established Crisis and Resilience Fund, according to the council.
While there are no current plans to extend the voucher scheme beyond September, the council is reportedly developing additional initiatives to ensure that families and households across Cambridgeshire can access support during times of need or crisis.
"The council has earmarked £1m to pay for the vouchers, which it described as a 'transitional arrangement'."
"The current plans would coincide 'with the September 2026 revisions to free school meals eligibility'."
"The vouchers would be paid for from a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, the authority said."
"The council was working on other projects to 'ensure families and households across Cambridgeshire can still access support in moments of need or crisis'."
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