A FOOD voucher scheme has been set up to help feed families over the half-term.

An additional £203,627 of funding from the government’s Covid Local Support Grant scheme has enabled Brighton and Hove City Council to help families with their food bills.

The council is expecting to issue more than 9,000 vouchers, valued at £25 per child, to families.

The vouchers will be usable until June 20 and can be used in supermarkets such as Asda, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Iceland over the next half term.

People who will receive the vouchers are those who are eligible for free school meals, using a Children’s Centre food bank, families with no recourse to public funds and vulnerable children who require support.

Councillor Hannah Clare, chairwoman of the children, young people and skills committee, said: “Once again I am pleased to see the extension of this grant funding to support families over the half-term holiday.

“However, we need to find a long-term solution for children in poverty and I urge the government to give families the assurance they need for every holiday, not just in the short-term during the pandemic.”

Eligible families will be sent an email or text with a link to where they can redeem their voucher at a supermarket of their choice.