Free school meals look likely to remain available outside of term time in Greater Manchester after a 'vital lifeline' fund was extended.

The government's Household Support Fund (HSF) was due to end on 30 September, but it was announced on Monday (2 September) that it will stay in place for another six months.

The £421m fund is given to councils who can use it to help residents in the cost-of-living crisis, with many choosing to spend their cash on giving free school meals to children during the holidays.

The extension means families struggling to make ends meet in Greater Manchester can expect their children to be fed in school during the autumn half term, Christmas, and spring half term holidays. 

"We are extending the Household Support Fund for the next six months because it is a lifeline for people who are struggling with the cost of living," said Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Liz Kendall MP in announcing the extension.

"The dire inheritance we face means more people are living in poverty now than 14 years ago – and this Government is taking immediate action to prevent a cliff edge of support for the most vulnerable in our society."

Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, announced the extension on Monday 2 September (Image - UK Parliament, licsensed under CC 3.0)

The news comes as a relief for leaders in Greater Manchester. 

Manchester council leader Bev Craig said she "campaigned vociferously for the Household Support Fund to be extended, both under previous Governments and the current one", because "the funding enables us to provide a vital lifeline for tens of thousands struggling to manage cost of living pressures".

But her work isn't done yet. She added: "Today's announcement will ensure we can give that extra support to those who need it most and we will work with the new government to tackle the long-term root causes [of poverty]." 

While there is relief across Greater Manchester, the temporary extension means the problem of helping families through the crisis has been effectively kicked down the road until April, when the HSF is next due to close. 

A similar situation unfolded in spring, when then-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt gave the scheme another six months to live. In all, Ms Kendall's decision is the sixth stay of execution for the HSF.

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