Summer can be an expensive time for families, so our Money Support Team have pulled together this one-stop guide to the help that is genuinely available across Kent, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex. Every scheme and offer was checked and confirmed as open on 21 July 2025. Funding pots and booking links can, however, change at short notice, so please use the links provided to double-check the latest details before you apply, book or set off.

1. Where can kids eat for free or £1 this summer:

• Pizza Hut: Free kids’ buffet, Pizzahut.co.uk
• Pizza Express: Free piccolo meal, Pizzaexpress.com
• Prezzo: Free kids’ meal, Prezzo.co.uk
• Bill’s: Free kids’ meal, Bills.co.uk
• Ask Italian: Free kids’ meal, Askitalian.co.uk
• Las Iguanas: Free kids’ meal, Iguanas.co.uk
• Côte Brasserie: Free kids’ meal, Cote.co.uk
• Bread Street Kitchen: Free kids’ meal, Gordonramsayrestaurants.com
• Subway: Free kids’ meal, Subway.com
• Asda: £1 cafe kids’ meals, Asda.com
• Morrisons: Free cafe kids’ meals, Morrisons.com
• Tesco: Free cafe kids’ meals, Tesco.com
• Dobbies: £1 kids’ meal, Dobbies.com
• Heathrow airport: Free kids’ meal, Heathrow.com

2. Free Holiday Activities & Food (HAF) camps

The programme offers free holiday clubs with healthy meals and activities for children aged 4–16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals. Activities include sports, arts, crafts, cooking, and more across various Kent locations.

• Kent County Council is running HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) camps from 23 July to 29 August 2025, in partnership with The Education People. Booking is done via HAF e-vouchers.
• Surrey County Council runs Club4 camps during the summer holidays 2025 through Active Surrey. Families receive Club4 e-vouchers from schools with a link to book camps online.
• East Sussex County Council is running the Holiday Food and Fun (HAF) programme across East Sussex – you can view a map of clubs and book directly with each provider.
• West Sussex County Council is running the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme for summer 2025 as well. Booking opened on 9 June 2025 via the online HAF portal.

3. Help with school-uniform costs

General Retailers (All Counties): M&S, Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Sainsbury’s (Tu Clothing), Asda (George): Offers include 20–25% off, and bundles from £5. Some deals are in-store only, and vary by location.

Uniformed Charity. A UK-wide charity working with schools and local partners to provide free school uniform support to families in need. You can contact them directly or ask your school if they are a partner.

• Kent County Council does not directly offer financial support for school uniforms. However, they have some recommendations.
• Kent Community Foundation offers hardship grants ranging from £100 to £400 that can be used to help pay for school uniforms and other essential items for children and families in financial need. Applications must be submitted by a professional (e.g. teacher, social worker, GP).
• Surrey County Council provides a list of charities and services that offer free school uniform or grants to families in need.
• East Sussex County Council provides a live list of school uniform banks and £1 rails across the county to help families during summer 2025. These include local hubs, charity shops, and Facebook groups offering free or low-cost school uniforms.
• West Sussex County Council does not directly provide school uniform grants, but it does offer Household Support Fund (HSF) e-vouchers, which can be used for clothing needs, including school uniforms, for eligible families.

4. Free or cut‑price travels

Buses

• Kent – KCC Travel Saver (Years 7–11): Offers subsidised bus travel for school children during the academic year, including summer holidays. It provides unlimited bus travel across most of Kent’s public bus network. Apply by 10 August to get your pass on the first day of term.
• Metrobus offers discounted child fares for children aged 5–15 across its network, including Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, and West Sussex. Children under 5 travel free with a fare-paying passenger.

Railways

• Southeastern Railway (Kent, East Sussex)
  Kids for a Quid: Up to 4 children (ages 5–15) can travel for £1 each with an adult holding an Off-Peak ticket. Valid year-round, including summer holidays. Under 5s travel free.
• South Western Railway (Surrey, West Sussex)
  Children under 5 travel for free, those aged 5–15 pay half the adult fare, and passengers aged 16 and over pay the full adult fare.
• Thameslink Railway (Kent, Surrey, East Sussex)
  Children aged 5 to 15 can get up to 50% off most tickets, and under 5s travel free with a fare-paying adult. During Off-Peak times, up to four children can travel for just £2 each across the Thameslink network.

Plus

• Kent & East Sussex Railway: Children under 16 travel free with a fare-paying adult from 23 July to 30 August 2025.
• Volk’s Electric Railway – Brighton: Children aged 4 and under travel free. Older children pay reduced fares. Open daily throughout summer 2025.

5. 2025 Summer Reading Challenge: Story Garden & free library activities

• Kent Libraries – Story Garden Challenge 5 Jul – 6 Sep
• Surrey Libraries – 5 Jul – 13 Sep with launch at Newlands Corner
• East Sussex Libraries – Summer Reading Challenge 5 Jul – 6 Sep plus crafts & trails
• West Sussex Libraries – 2025 Summer Reading Challenge: Story Garden 12 Jul – 13 Sep in all branches

Quick checklist for parents

• Stack the schemes – combine HSF vouchers, FSM food vouchers and free HAF camps.

• Keep receipts & confirmations – some grant bodies reimburse purchases made up to four weeks earlier.

• Ask the school – many gift one free logo item to Pupil‑Premium pupils or relax branding rules in hardship cases.

P.S. We’ve shared this guide on our Facebook page as well — find the post here.

If you spot any new deals, local giveaways or last-minute discounts, please add them in the comments so other parents can benefit. Every like, share or tip helps us reach more families who could use a hand this summer.