Wales free school meals hit 69% take-up — but the report warns poorest pupils could miss out on extra support
An interim evaluation of Wales’s universal primary free school meals policy has been published today, covering the first year since full rollout was completed in September 2024.
The report, commissioned by the Welsh Government and carried out by ICF Consulting Services and Arad Research, is the first in a series planned over three years.
Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle MS said local authorities have delivered more than 61 million meals to children across Wales since the policy reached full rollout.
By July 2024, average take-up across Welsh local authorities had reached 69%, ranging from 57% to 82%, rising from 67% when the policy first launched in September 2022.
The evaluation found take-up was highest among younger learners who had been eligible from the outset, with a noticeable drop-off among older primary pupils when the offer was first extended to their year groups.
Flintshire completed its full rollout in April 2024.
According to funding tables in the report, Flintshire received just over £3 million in capital funding to upgrade school kitchens and equipment, split across 2021-22 and 2022-23.
On top of that, Flintshire received revenue funding of £797,428 in 2022-23, £2,852,971 in 2023-24, £4,679,504 in 2024-25, and £4,557,903 in 2025-26 to support the ongoing cost of delivering meals.
Across capital and revenue combined, Flintshire has received just under £16 million since the policy began.
Flintshire schools were also notably over-represented in the national survey element of the evaluation, contributing 11% of responses despite the county making up 5% of primary schools in Wales.
The evaluation found the policy has reduced the social stigma around school meals, eased financial pressure on families and cut the administrative burden on school staff previously spent chasing unpaid dinner money.
But it also identified concerns.
Some school staff reported a perceived drop in applications for means-tested free school meals, with parents and carers mistakenly assuming that separate registration is no longer needed because their child now receives a free meal regardless.
That matters because means-tested eligibility unlocks additional support beyond the meal itself, including uniform grants and a dedicated funding stream, the Pupil Development Grant, which schools use to support learners from lower-income households.
The report warns that any drop in applications could affect how much money schools receive to support their most disadvantaged pupils.
On food quality, some staff raised concerns that operational pressures may be affecting the standard of meals, including greater use of ultra-processed foods and cheaper ingredients, though others said this reflected longer-term trends that predate the policy.
Staffing pressures were also documented, with some kitchen staff reporting working beyond contracted hours and feeling under strain, particularly around managing a higher volume of special dietary requirements.
The report found lunchtime logistics have become more difficult in larger schools since take-up increased, with longer queues, hurried eating and noisier dining environments reported by staff and pupils.
On family finances, the evaluation found the policy has eased pressure on households, particularly those just above the means-tested eligibility threshold, saving the cost of packed lunches and reducing daily stress.
The report includes a recommendation that the Welsh Government explore extending free school meal provision to secondary level, noting that pupils may face renewed difficulties when they move up from primary school.
Neagle MS said: “UPFSM is a flagship policy for the Welsh Government, demonstrating our firm commitment to tackling child poverty and hunger, reducing health inequalities, putting money back in families’ pockets, and helping children be ready to learn in school.”
The Welsh Government said it will work with partners to consider the report’s findings ahead of years two and three of the evaluation.
Families in Flintshire who believe they may qualify for means-tested free school meal support, and the additional grants that come with it, can contact Flintshire County Council for information on eligibility and how to apply.
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