Dudley Council is facing a reduction in funding for a scheme that supports deprived families during school holidays. At its meeting on June 11, the authority's cabinet will debate a report on the Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) for the borough's children and young people.
The report seeks approval to begin the process of identifying a new provider for the programme when the current provider's contract expires in 2027. Signed by John Macilwraith, Dudley director of children and young people, the report highlights that the HAF Programme provides support to children from low-income families during school holiday periods.
Research has shown that school holidays can be pressure points for some families, leading to a holiday experience gap. Children from low-income households are more likely to experience food insecurity, social isolation, miss out on physical activity and enriching experiences, and fall behind in development and well-being.
Funding for the HAF programme comes from central government. Councillors will be informed that the amount allocated for Dudley children is being reduced by 2.4 percent for the 2026/27 year, from £1.27 million to £1.24 million. The cut is expected to impact back-room staff, as guidance for the 2026/27 year states that the percentage of the allocation spent on management and oversight should be reduced from ten percent to 7.5 percent.
The report states that the programme is now well-established and efficiencies are expected to be achieved in the administration of activities. The programme is aimed at families where children are eligible for free school meals; councils have discretion to use some funding (Dudley predicts around 15 percent) to provide holiday club places for children who do not meet the criteria but may benefit from the scheme. In January 2026, around 13,000 children or young people in Dudley were eligible to access the HAF Programme.
