Devon families receive food vouchers to help with rising summer holiday costs

More than £1.9 million in supermarket vouchers has been distributed to low-income families across Devon to help cover food costs over the summer holidays.

Each child currently eligible for free school meals during term time has received a £90 voucher. 

The vouchers, sent as a single payment, are intended to replace the meals children would have received at school, equating to £15 per week over the six-week break.

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The funding comes from the Government’s Household Support Fund, which provides financial help to families facing high costs for food, energy and other essentials.

Devon County Council has used over £17 million of the fund since 2021 to provide holiday food vouchers for eligible children. 

Despite a reduction in this year’s allocation, from £10.1 million to £8.9 million, councillors agreed to maintain the voucher scheme at previous levels.

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, said many families rely on the vouchers during the school holidays and confirmed the council’s commitment to continue the scheme alongside the Holiday Activities and Food programme.

She said: “We know that many families whose children are eligible for benefits-related free school meals during term time also rely on the holiday food vouchers. Therefore, we will continue to support this at the same level as the council has done previously.”

This is the final year of the Household Support Fund. 

From April 2026, the Government plans to introduce a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, but the details remain unclear.

Councillor Cottle-Hunkin added that the council would be lobbying Devon MPs and the Government to ensure future funding arrangements recognise the needs of rural communities.

“We are concerned that central government will continue to place their focus on big urban centres, failing to accurately recognise or measure rural deprivation,” she said.