More than 2,000 children on free school meals in Bracknell Forest will receive supermarket vouchers during the summer holidays, the council has said.

The vouchers will be distributed by schools to children already receiving free school meals, with no need for them to apply.

Eligible children will get a voucher worth £90 in July. They will also get further vouchers in the coming holiday months. These are for £15 in October, £30 in December, £15 in February and £30 in March.

Council officer Katie Flint revealed the figure in an update to Bracknell Forest’s leading body of councillors, the Executive Committee on Tuesday, 20 June. It was part of an update on the council’s plans to help residents with the cost of living.

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She added that the council would also contact some 1,200 low-income households with offers of support, targeted at people not eligible to receive national benefits.

Council leader Mary Temperton told the meeting: “It’s confirmed that we’ll be providing supermarket vouchers right the way through now until Easter 2024.

“This is a priority for us. It’s really, really important that we recognise all that has been achieved for the vulnerable people in Bracknell Forest, but this is not going to go away.”