Free School Meals
Find out more about Free School Meals at HTS, including eligibility criteria, how to apply and what the application process involves. If your child is joining HTS from another school or you are moving to West Sussex, you can also find helpful guidance on transferring your child’s Free School Meals entitlement and accessing support at our school.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can apply for Free School Meals through the West Sussex County Council website. Use the button below to begin your application.
If you receive Universal Credit, you will be able to access a free school meal.
From September 2026, the Government expanded FSM for all families in receipt of Universal Credit including students in our 16-19 provision.
There are now two types of Free School Meals:
Expanded Free School Meals
Your child may qualify if you receive Universal Credit and your household earnings are above £7,400 per year. These students will be entitled to free meals only.
Targeted Free School Meals
Your child may qualify if you receive Universal Credit and your annual household earnings are £7,400 or less, or you receive another qualifying benefit.
Children who qualify for Targeted Free School Meals will receive:
- A free school meal every school day.
- Access to the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme.
- Additional Pupil Premium funding for the school (Years 7-11).
Applications for Free School Meals are managed by West Sussex County Council (WSCC). We encourage all families receiving Universal Credit to check their eligibility, even if they are unsure whether they qualify.
For the full eligibility criteria please refer to the WSCC website.
If your child is entitled to Free School Meals (FSM), they will still need to create a meal account as part of the cashless payment system, as explained on the school lunches page. Once the account is set up, their daily FSM allowance £3.20 (from 01/09/2026) will be available to spend each day. Please note: this allowance does not appear on the student’s visible account balance.
The daily FSM allowance of £3.20 is intended for food purchases only and cannot be used to purchase drinks. Fresh drinking water is available free of charge each day in the Refectory. The allowance is intended to cover a main meal and a dessert; however, students may choose how they wish to spend their allowance. The system operates in the same way as for other students, but any unspent allowance does not carry over to the following day.
Parents and carers may choose to “top up” the account if they wish to enable their child to make additional purchases beyond the free meal allowance.
More information
Please Email: fsm@westsussex.gov.uk
Families who are struggling financially and are Targeted FSM can still get help, but support is now needs‑based please see the HAF Programme below.
Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
The HAF programme is fully funded by the Department for Education and offers children who are entitled to targeted free school meals the opportunity to attend participating holiday activity clubs and have a free meal.
Targeted free school meals (FSM) are available to students if their parents are in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits and have a claim verified by West Sussex County Council.
Holiday Activities and Food programme – West Sussex County Council
Or email HAF@westsussex.gov.uk for further information.
If your child is transferring from a school outside the West Sussex County Council catchment area and already receives Free School Meals, you will need to reapply through West Sussex County Council. Please complete this form to help us transfer their entitlement smoothly.