McIlveen announces £12.6m summer holiday food grant

Families of children entitled to a free school meal will receive a school holiday food grant this summer, Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced today.

Education Minister said that families of children entitled to free school meals will get a school holiday food grant.

The Minister said: “School holidays can create significant financial pressure for parents on low incomes and the ongoing cost of living crisis is causing further strain on household budgets across Northern Ireland. That is why I am allocating £12.6million funding to provide the families of children entitled to free school meals with additional financial support over the summer holidays.

“At a time when many families are already financially vulnerable, this payment will help to ensure that more than 100,000 of our children and young people can continue to access healthy, nutritious food this summer.

“This is an anxious time for many low income parents and I hope confirmation of this payment will provide some reassurance to them and alleviate some of the pressure they are experiencing.”

The summer holiday food grant will run from 1 July to 31 August 2022. It will provide financial assistance to families whose children are entitled to a free school meal during term time and eligible at the end of June 2022. Families will receive £13.50 per week for each entitled child.

 

Notes to editors: 

1. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office via email at Press.Office@education-ni.gov.uk.

2. The Executive Information Service operates an out-of-hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.

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