Children in Leicester who receive benefits-related free school meals can now be registered for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme, with free summer sessions beginning on Monday 13 July.
The scheme is aimed at children and young people aged 5 to 16, with activities running at various locations across Leicester. Start times vary by provider and have not been listed in the source notice. Places are free for eligible children, while some fee-based options may be available for children who do not receive benefits-related free school meals.
Registration is through families.leicester.gov.uk/haf, and places are limited.
Free summer sessions across Leicester from 13 July
Leicester City Council says the programme will include art, sport and outdoor activities, with a healthy meal provided as part of each session. The city’s HAF offer is funded by the Department for Education and is designed to help children from low-income families stay active and eat well during the summer holiday.
The provision is being delivered by more than 40 providers at sites around the city. Eligible families can sign up for up to four weeks of free provision over the school holiday period, subject to availability and the age range for each activity.
Most programmes run for four hours a day across four days. Some providers are offering different formats, including more hours over fewer days or fewer hours spread across more days.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Event | Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme |
| Starts | Monday 13 July |
| Location | Various locations across Leicester |
| Time | Varies by provider; not specified in the source notice |
| Cost | Free for eligible children receiving benefits-related free school meals |
| Who it is for | Children and young people aged 5 to 16 |
| Booking | Register at families.leicester.gov.uk/haf |
Museums, basketball and leisure centre options
The programme includes several age-specific choices. Children aged 6 to 11 can sign up for activities with Leicester’s museums service, with sessions taking place during the summer at Abbey Pumping Station.
Basketball activities are available for 8 to 16-year-olds at Mattioli Arena through a programme organised by the Leicester Riders Foundation.
Older children aged 14 to 16 can choose a pass for city council leisure centres. The pass can be used for gym sessions, swimming or booking a court. Children who choose a pass rather than a programmed activity will receive a food voucher instead of a meal each time they use it, up to a maximum of 16 vouchers over the holiday period.
The mix of activities means the scheme is not limited to one venue or one type of session. Families will need to check the full programme to see which provider matches their child’s age, interests and location.
Who gets priority for limited places
Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis to children who live in the city of Leicester, receive benefits-related free school meals and meet the age range for the programme they choose.
Assistant city mayor Cllr Elaine Pantling said the long summer holiday can be difficult for many families, and said the scheme is intended to give children who normally receive a free school meal the chance to take part in activities and receive a healthy meal without cost being a barrier.
She added that there is a wide range of activities at sites around the city, but urged families to register as soon as possible because places are limited.
Information about the Holiday Activities and Food Programme has been circulated to children through schools.
How families can register
Families should register for their preferred schemes at families.leicester.gov.uk/haf. Registration for each session will close once all places on that session have been filled, and the full closing dates are listed on each provider’s booking page.
Families who think their child should be receiving free school meals can check information at freeschoolmeals.leicester.gov.uk.
Children who do not receive benefits-related free school meals may still be able to join some parts of the programme for a fee. Families are asked to contact the provider directly for details. The full programme and provider contact details are listed at families.leicester.gov.uk/haf.
Source: Leicester City Council
Source check Source trail
This article is based on Leicester City Council’s published notice about the 2026 HAF summer activity scheme.
- Confirmed the start date as Monday 13 July.
- Checked eligibility against the source wording on benefits-related free school meals.
- Kept venue details broad because the programme runs at various locations across Leicester.
- Did not add session times because they were not provided in the source notice.
- Source
- Leicester City Council
- Scope
- Leicester
- Updated
- 2026-06-15 18:34
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