Holiday activities and food programme (HAF)

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) is a programme of free activities during the school holidays for eligible families.

Christmas holidays 2024

HAF vouchers for the Christmas holiday will be sent on 2 December 2024.

Look out for a text or email from hello@holidays.

Booking a place

You will need a voucher to book a place.

To register and book a place, click on the voucher to see a list of the clubs and activities in your district.

If you have a voucher, you can also access the holiday activities link to book a place.

Many clubs book up very quickly so please:

  • only book a HAF place if you are going to use it
  • cancel if you change your mind

If a place is booked and then wasted that prevents another child from attending.

Activities outside of your school district

You will only be able to book activities for the district your child attends school in. So if your child goes to school in Lytham for example you will get a Fylde voucher and the booking platform will have all the clubs in Fylde. If your child needs to attend a club in another district, you can request for the voucher to be transferred. You must request this before you have booked any places. 

To change the voucher to another district email CFW-HAF@lancashire.gov.ukstating the district your voucher has been issued for, the district you would like it changed to and the reason for the request.

Who will get the vouchers

To get a voucher for free HAF places, your child needs to be eligible for benefits related free school meals. If you are not sure ask your child's school and they will be able to help you.

Not eligible for free school meals

We can use 15% of the funding for HAF places for children who are not on free school meals.

This is for children whose parents struggle to pay for holiday activities and as result of other circumstances or vulnerabilities would really benefit from a free place.

Schools and other professionals such as social workers and the Children and Family Wellbeing Service can issue vouchers in these circumstances. Schools have received guidance on who this applies to.

This could be:

  • children being supported on an early help plan
  • children with a child and family plan
  • young carers
  • children looked after or subject to special guardianship order
  • families in crisis – such as sudden bereavement, illness or financial problems or refugee families

Children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND)

We cannot offer places to all children with EHC plans or SEND as our funding is limited.

However, we can give vouchers to SEND children who do not fit into the criteria listed above if families are struggling to pay for the place their child needs, to support their welfare.

If your child has an EHC plan, SEND or any specific needs, give the activity provider as much information as you can before your child attends the activity. This will help them to make any necessary adjustments beforehand and help staff at the club understand how to make your child feel welcomed, comfortable and ensure their needs are met. 

Christmas HAF

In the Christmas holidays there are 4 days of HAF on offer, each club should run for at least 4 hours and provide a warm nutritious meal.

This holiday is slightly different to Easter and Summer. There may be parties and pantomimes for the whole family to attend instead of the traditional clubs, or in some districts food parcels and activities to take home.

You can find out what's on in each district on the links below.

Contact us

If you have any questions about HAF email: CFW-HAF@lancashire.gov.uk

We value your feedback

If your child has attended one of the HAF sessions, please help us improve our service and complete our Parental Feedback Form

Lancashire HAF report