Applying for Free School Meals
You should only use this site to apply for free school meals if your child or children attend schools within Brighton & Hove and you are in receipt of one of the benefits listed below.
Your child might be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of Pension
- Credit Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit - If you apply on or after the 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7400 per year
Children who receive any of the above benefits in their own right are also eligible to receive free school meals.
Please note - if you are in receipt of any Working Tax Credit you will not be eligible to apply for free school meals.
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/children-and-education/schools/free-school-meals-apply
Eligibility Changes from September 2026
From the start of 2026 to 2027 academic year, the eligibility criteria for free school meals will be changing.
Targeted Free School Meals
All children who are currently eligible for free school meals where the above criteria still remains will continue to receive entitlement and the extra funding to school that this attracts. The entitlement will continue with no end date until such time as there are changes to any of the above within the family.
Key Changes - Expanded
Children from households in receipt of Universal Credit with annual household earnings exceeding £7,400 will be entitled to free school meals only for that particular academic year.
Parents will need to contact the School Office for further information.
