Help for households and cost of living support can give you more information on how to mange the cost of living. Suffolk County Council allocates Household Support Fund money to residents in the following ways:
Support for children during school holidays
Where a child is eligible for income related free school meals, families will be contacted directly by their child's school regarding supermarket voucher grants for holiday periods, available to them between May Half Term 2025 and Easter 2026.
If your child is currently attending a Special Independent school and you reside in Suffolk, you may be eligible for a supermarket voucher if your household meets the income thresholds for Free School Meals. Your child’s school will contact you directly with information on how to apply.
If your child is eligible for Free School Meals, but not currently on a school roll due to either; no suitable placement being available in line with their Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP); or being recently excluded from a state-funded school, you will still be eligible to receive a voucher in the school holidays. This will be issued to you directly by Suffolk County Council.
Further information regarding discretionary grant vouchers is available from the Free School Meals team at freeschoolmeals@suffolk.gov.uk
Where a child is not eligible for free school meals because they are not attending a state funded school, a family can seek support directly from the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme.
Direct support through an application to the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme
The Local Welfare Assistance Scheme (LWAS) helps those experiencing financial hardship. This could mean you are struggling to afford the basics, such as food, heating, clothing and fuel, or to pay your household bills. There are lots of reasons why you may be in hardship and if you are eligible, LWAS can provide financial help.
