Half a million children to go hungry if £1bn crisis fund is ditched

Exclusive: charities warn ending the Household Support Fund will lead to more hardship for struggling families

More than half a million children will go hungry during school holiday periods from the October half-term if the government fails to renew a £1bn local welfare crisis fund due to end in six weeks’ time, charities have warned.

English councils last year spent £370m from their Household Support Fund (HSF) allocations on holiday food vouchers for pupils on free school meals (FSM) – but more than a quarter of authorities say this support could disappear if the fund is ditched.