Birmingham City Council will be providing food vouchers for 72,000 children over the two-week Easter holiday. The council is also expected to provide vouchers for 68,500 school-age children eligible for free school meals, and 3,500 children within early years settings.
An additional £1.8m from the government’s Covid Winter Grant (CWG) scheme means the council can now fund a second week of vouchers, costing £1.08m, with the remaining funds going to vulnerable adults in line with the grant guidance.
The council had already allocated CWG funds for one week of meal vouchers for the Easter break.
Cllr Jayne Francis, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Culture, said, “I’m really pleased that we have again stepped up to make sure that struggling families are supported during the Easter break. It is even more vital that vouchers are provided in the school holidays when increasing numbers of children are eligible for free school meals. After a great deal of public pressure, it is encouraging that the Government has finally recognised the importance of ensuring that children do not go hungry during these unprecedented times.”
