Some of these cookies are essential to make this website work for you. Others show us how the website is used and can help us improve it.

Find out how we use cookies and manage your settings

Holiday food payments

If your child gets free school meals on financial grounds, holiday food payments are paid to your bank account to cover your child's lunch on weekdays during the holidays.

How to qualify

If your child gets free school meals on financial grounds, holiday food payments are paid to your bank account to cover your child's lunch on weekdays during the holidays and some other days off school 

  • children in P1-P5 who are eligible for free school meals on financial grounds
  • children in P1-P5 who receive Universal Free School Meals but do not meet the financial qualifying conditions for free school meals are not eligible for these additional payments.
  • children in P6-S6 who receive free school meals will be eligible for the payment.
  • younger children in an early learning and childcare setting who meet the eligibility for free school meals on financial grounds will also receive the payment.

How to apply

When you apply for holiday food payments you'll also be applying for free school meals and school clothing grants.

Apply for holiday food payments

If you do not want to apply online you can:

How it's paid to you

Holiday food payments are normally paid by the last day of the school term. The payment is £2.50 for each weekday of the holiday.

December 2024 Holiday Food Payment

Schools will close for the Christmas holidays from Friday 20 December 2024 and will reopen on Tuesday 7 January 2025.

Our Council will be issuing a single payment of £27.50 per child to all families who are registered for free school meals on financial grounds within our region (11 weekdays in school holiday period at £2.50 per day).

When will I receive the payment?

We will aim to make payment by Friday 20 December 2024, for all eligible children already in receipt of free school meals, or who have applied for and have been awarded free school meals by Friday 13 December 2024.

We will use the payment details we currently hold for you to make payment.

All eligible children, who apply for, and are awarded free school meals after Friday 13 December 2024, but on or before Friday 20 December 2024, will receive payment after the school holidays.  

Tell us if your details change

If you've changed your bank details since your last payment, let us know:

email: educationbenefits@dumgal.gov.uk
telephone: 030 33 33 3006