Check if your child can get free school meals.
Contents
Overview
All primary school children who attend a state funded (maintained) school in Wales can get a free school meal.
Children in secondary schools could also get a free school meal if their family meets the eligibility criteria.
From September 2026 the Welsh Government is expanding free school meals for secondary school pupils in households receiving Universal Credit, with no income limit, starting with children in years 7 and 8.
If your child receives free school meals through any of these routes, you still need to check eligibility to access wider support. You could get up to £200 through the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school.
Who can apply: free school meals and other support
Your child may be able to get free school meals and other support if you get any of the following:
- Income Support.
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance.
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
- Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
- The guaranteed element of Pension Credit.
- Universal Credit: your household earnings must be less than £7,400 a year after tax. This does not include any income from benefits.
The local authority where a learner goes to school (not where they live) is responsible for:
- providing the free school meal
- assessing the eligibility
Free school meal legislation allows foster parents to claim free school meals. A child could potentially have four parents; two foster parents and two natural parents. As long as a parent is eligible to claim free school meals, the child can get them.
Expanding free school meals
Households with learners in year 7 or 8 that are receiving Universal Credit, but whose household earnings exceed £7,400 a year after tax, may be eligible for a free school meal.
Parents of children in year 7 and 8 can get information on when they can apply from their local authority. Use our postcode checker to find out when applications are available in your area and how to apply.
Transitional protection
On 1 April 2019, the Welsh Government introduced new rules for claiming free school meals. As a result, a small number of children and young people could have lost their eligibility for free school meals. 'Transitional protection' was introduced to ensure that these children and young people continue to receive free school meals for a limited period of time. You can find out more from your local authority.