Eligible families in Peterborough will receive £15 of supermarket vouchers for the February half term school holidays.
The vouchers will be sent automatically to eligible families using school data and information held by the city council.
Vouchers will be distributed to families with children and young people who are or who receive:
- Income-related Free School Meals (children and young people aged 4 to 16)
- Early Years Pupil Premium under the income-based criteria (children aged 3 and 4 with a date of birth between 1 September 2018 and 31 August 2020)
- Funded Childcare and Education for 2-year-olds under the income-based criteria (children aged 2 with a date of birth between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021)
Approximately 13,000 children and young people are eligible for vouchers in the Peterborough City Council area worth over £130,000. The vouchers are funded by the Household Support Grant from Central Government.
The city council is urging families to check whether they may be eligible for free school meals during term time, which in turn would make them eligible for supermarket vouchers in the holidays.
Any children who become eligible up until the 25 February will also receive vouchers. These will be sent when we are notified of newly eligible children by our Education Welfare Benefits Team.
Families currently paying for school meals would save around £450 a year for each primary school child if they were entitled to free school meals.
Providing free school meals can also add up to £2,000 a year in Government funding to a school’s budget.
Information about free school meals and how to apply can be found at www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/holiday-voucher-scheme – you need to provide basic details and a national insurance number.
The half term holiday food voucher will be sent via email and/or text to the nominated parent or carer.
The email vouchers will come from vouchers@wonde.com.
Text vouchers will come from SchoolMeals and will be EVouchers.
Both will be sent out on Saturday 17 February and should arrive by 9pm.
All vouchers must be claimed by the 15 March 2024.
Councillor Ray Bisby, Peterborough City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Education, said: "I am really pleased that vulnerable families will receive supermarket vouchers to help cover the costs of feeding their children over the February half term.
"I would urge anyone who is eligible for the scheme but has not already signed up to please consider doing so. These school holiday vouchers have helped thousands of families across the city. The free school meals scheme not only helps families saving around £450 a year per child but also helps their child's primary school receive much-needed additional funding."
If you think you might qualify and could be saving money, please apply via www.peterborough.gov.uk