MORE than £1m is being distributed to schools across North Yorkshire to help families struggling this Christmas.

The Covid Winter Grant Scheme will see £1.4m distributed to those hardest hit by the pandemic with the help of schools, academies, nurseries and colleges.

It will ensure that children eligible for free school meals will continue to have access to food over the Christmas holidays and into the next year.

Schools are being given the discretion to extend the scheme to not just those in receipt of free school meals, but to other families who may have been identified as in need as a result of the pandemic.

The county council is currently in the process of transferring the Government funding over to schools, who will then begin purchasing and distributing supermarket vouchers to families, equivalent to £20 per child per week.

Amanda Newbold, the county council's assistant director for education and skills said: “We would like to thank schools, early years providers and other educational settings for their support in getting this money to children most in need at this busy time of year.

“This voucher scheme will make a real difference to families who are struggling and we appreciate their collaboration with the county council in this initiative.”

The Covid Winter Grant Scheme, which is allocated by the Department for Work and Pensions, runs from November until March 2021.