The latest information on free school meals

The new Welsh government committed in June 2026 to roll out additional free meals to families in receipt of Universal Credit in Secondary schools, starting with Year 7 and 8.

This commitment was made in response to the rising cost-of-living pressures on families and their shared ambitions of tackling child poverty and ensuring no child goes hungry in school.

In order to deliver this ambition WG have provided both Capital and Revenue funding for all Welsh local authorities.

In Denbighshire the capital funding is being used to cover the cost of improving the kitchen and dining facilities across the authority to ensure we have sufficient capacity to deliver the additional meals pupils.

The revenue funding is being used to cover the cost of the additional food that is required and to increase staffing levels to be able to cook the increasing number of pupils having school meals.

Parent and Carers will be able to register online on the Council website their application for the free meal entitlement from beginning of September, with pupils that are eligible to take up the meal from 2^nd November after works have been completed in secondary schools.