Universal Primary Free School Meals

Local authorities across Wales will begin offering universal primary free school meals in schools from September 2022.

This commitment is part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, which will see free school meals extended to all primary school pupils by September 2024.

In line with Welsh Government guidance on roll-out timelines, in Powys we will be rolling this out for the youngest children first. This is because younger children are more likely to be living in relative income poverty. This is an important further step to reaching our shared ambitions of tackling child poverty and ensuring that no child goes hungry while in school.

Welsh Government have big ambitions for the provision of universal free school meals in Wales. It is hoping to:

• raise the profile of healthy eating across the whole school;
• increase the range of food pupils eat,
• improve social skills and wellbeing at meal times; and lead to improvements to behaviour and attainment;
• In the future it will also impact on local food supply and support the economy of Wales.

Universal Primary Free School Meal Roll-out Timetable:

• Reception - September 2022
• Year 1 - April 2023
• Year 2 - April 2023
• Year 3 - September 2023
• Year 4 - January 2024
• Year 5 - April 2024
• Year 6 - April 2024

Welsh Government's announcement is linked here: Universal Free School Meals Roll-out to Commence in September | GOV.WALES

Those pupils eligible under the current scheme for Free School Meals in years other than those rolled out will continue to receive a Free School Meal and where appropriate the School Essentials Grant.