Free school meals in Wales: secondary learners in poverty overlooked

The latest Welsh government free school meal (FSM) statistics show a fall of 6,000 in the number of children registered for means-tested FSMs in Wales. This means that 25,000 children in poverty in secondary schools now miss out on any form of FSM.

In the future, the number of children in poverty who miss out will rise as transitional protection (whereby once children become eligible for FSM, they still get this entitlement even if their household’s earnings have risen above the threshold) is being phased out and the very restrictive earnings threshold of £7,400 remains frozen.

The Welsh government will receive additional consequentials from Westminster in 2026/27 due to the roll-out of FSMs to all children on universal credit (UC) in England. This additional funding would be more than enough to substantially expand FSM provision in secondary schools in Wales.

Our wider research shows that universal provision of FSMs works best for children and families, and this should be the ambition for the UK and devolved governments. Making provision universal in secondary schools, as it is in primary schools in Wales, would ensure all children can access the benefits of FSMs, supporting their learning, health and their social experiences of the school day. It would have a disproportionate impact on those living in families on a low income, pulling thousands of children out of poverty and reducing the depth of poverty for many more.

As a bare minimum, the Welsh government must expand FSMs to secondary pupils in households in receipt of UC. This will ensure that almost all young people in poverty or at risk of poverty (many of whom are currently excluded from the entitlement) do not miss out on a meal each day.