2024 Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF) registration

Register here for your unique code to access HAF schemes being run through Hampshire County Council

We have received confirmation from the Department for Education that the HAF programme will be funded for 2025/2026 delivery. Once we have been advised of our funding allocation, we will re-open the HAF FSM registration form for HAF booking codes in preparation of Easter delivery.

The programme is open to all school-aged children from reception to year 11 (inclusive) who already receive benefits-related free school meals who live, or go to school, in Hampshire. This means areas of Hampshire serviced by Hampshire County Council. (This excludes the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton).

Benefit-related free school meals are not the same as universal free school meals that all Reception, Year One and Year Two pupils are entitled to. This is not an application for free school meals.

More information on free school meals, including how to apply and receive this support

Eligibility for benefit-related FSM

You need to know if your child receives or is eligible to receive benefit-related FSM.

Your child is eligible for benefits-related FSM

Step 1 - Register

Complete the HAF registration form to receive a unique booking code for your child. This can be used for all Hampshire County Council HAF funded schemes.

Step 2 - Book

Once you have received your HAF booking code, you can search for schemes and book directly with Hampshire County Council HAF approved providers.

HAF schemes only run over the Easter, summer and winter school holidays.

Your child is not eligible for benefits-related FSM

Your child may be eligible to attend a Hampshire County Council HAF scheme under the 15% discretionary funding we make available to our providers. Please read the guidance notes.

HAF booking codes are not required under this route.

You are not sure if your child is eligible for benefits-related FSM

You can check if your child is eligible for benefit-related FSM. Use the online OFSM checker.

Benefits for families

Each child with a HAF code has free access to around 150 holiday schemes across Hampshire this summer and Christmas.

Each scheme provides food and fun activities for a minimum of four hours a day.

Schemes are listed on the Family Information and Services Hub site in the five weeks preceding the holiday period.

How to register

Families/carers need to register each eligible child in order to receive a unique code that can be used with every provider delivering HAF schemes. Providers require this booking code to offer a DfE funded place.

Children can access the HAF Programme if they are eligible for benefit-related FSM.

You will need this unique HAF code to use any activities funded by the HAF Programme and will need to share this code when booking.

The process is quick and easy. Simply complete the registration form. You will receive an automated email up to 3 working days from submitting your form. Please check your spam inbox. If your eligibility cannot be confirmed, you may need to submit benefit-related FSM evidence, by way of a screen shot, to receive a booking code.

Once you have received a unique code, you are not required to register again.

Registration form

More information and common questions

What to do if you have not heard from us after three working days

If you have not had any initial response after three working days, please contact the team using the details below, as there may have been an issue with your form or with the contact email address you provided.

How to register if you don’t have access to the internet

Your school can register on your behalf and then forward the unique code to you. It is also possible that the HAF provider you wish to book with can register on your behalf.

If you are not eligible through benefit-related free school meals but have attended a free HAF scheme in the past

A small number of other vulnerable children may be eligible without holding benefit-related FSM status. These include children such as those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), children and young people known to social care, and children of recognised refugees with no recourse to public funds.

If you wish to apply to attend a scheme under this broader definition of vulnerability you will not need a unique HAF code. Please contact the HAF scheme provider directly who will be able to help advise on your eligibility and if they have any spaces for non-free school meal children available.

Reasons why your child may not show as eligible

There are a number of reasons we may not be able to match your registration form to existing school records of free school meal eligible children, for example:

  • You may not have applied for benefit-related free school meal status
  • Your child may go to school that is outside of the Hampshire County Council area (eg. Portsmouth or Southampton)
  • You may have made a data entry error, eg. date of birth
  • The school your child goes to may not have updated their free school meal records
  • Your child may fall outside the range of age-qualifying criteria (school-aged children from reception to Year 11, inclusive
Contact us

If you would like more information or have a query, please contact the team: