The Welsh Government has confirmed that free school meals are being rolled out to Year 7 and Year 8 pupils whose families receive Universal Credit, regardless of household earnings.
Rollout deadline
January 2027
All 22 Welsh councils
Previous earnings limit
£7,400
Removed for eligible Years 7–8
Previously, families receiving Universal Credit generally needed household earnings below £7,400 a year, excluding benefits, to qualify for secondary school free meals.
More than half of Welsh local authorities have already begun providing meals under the expanded scheme. All 22 are expected to participate by January 2027.
Why it matters: Removing the earnings threshold could benefit working families on Universal Credit who previously earned too much to qualify, reducing food costs and helping children access a nutritious school meal.
What families need to do: Parents and carers must register through their local authority. Eligibility is not automatically activated simply because a household receives Universal Credit.
Status: Confirmed rollout, with implementation varying by council. The Government has not published a total estimate of newly eligible pupils in this announcement.
