Every Swansea primary pupil to be offered free school meals from September

It means Swansea will have hit the target set by Welsh Government for all primary aged children to receive the offer in 2024.

Currently all pupils up to and including Year Five are eligible but from September it will be extended to Year Six as well, helping all families with the cost of living.

It means that more than 18,000 pupils will be able to eat for free during term time in Swansea.

More than £4m has been invested in improving and equipping school kitchens across the city to meet the increase in numbers.

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Robert Smith said: “The cost of living crisis means the Welsh Government’s Free School Meal pledge is more important than ever and I’m grateful to ministers for the funding that is being provided to enable us to deliver this.

“A lot of investment, work and planning has been needed to get the capacity in place to deliver this to all primary school pupils and I’m very proud that we have been able to meet the Welsh Government’s target.

“Universal free school meals for primary aged children mean one less thing for hard pressed families to worry about and ensure that all pupils receive a cooked meal when in school should they wish.

“Once again this year we are also finically supporting groups and organisations who work with families of school aged children to ensure that there is support in place to feed young people during the school summer holidays.”