'Morally unacceptable': Welsh government slammed after cutting free school meals support

The Welsh government has cut funding for free school meals during the summer holidays - a scheme it says was always time limited

At the height of the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020, Wales became the first UK nation to guarantee free school meals for eligible families over the school holidays.

Local Authorities generally provided these in the form of supermarket vouchers or cash.

Since then, Scotland and England have followed suit and are continuing their funding this summer. Wales, however, is not.

First Minister Mark Drakeford insists the money simply isn’t there, and a spokesman added that the government has “always been clear that extending free school meals into the holidays was a time-limited crisis intervention in response to the pandemic.”

But those in the sector say the decision was unexpected and have criticised the timing of the announcement, just three weeks before the summer holidays, leaving families and charities with little time to prepare.

The Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Rocío Cifuentes, has gone further, calling the decision “morally unacceptable.”

Four local authorities, Blaenau Gwent, Powys, Caerphilly and Gwynedd, have found their own money to fund free school meals.

Many within the Welsh Labour are also uneasy. Some want to review the Welsh government’s policy of providing free school meals for all primary age pupils in term time, against guaranteeing support for the poorest children all year round.

The universal free school meals policy is part of Plaid Cymru’s co-operation deal with the Welsh government. The roll-out to all 272,000 pupils is due to be complete by the end of 2024.

At nearly £20 per pupil per week, the cut this summer is an enormous blow to many, particularly to those in large families.

A recent study found that children in larger families are significantly more likely to be in poverty in Wales, and that more than 70% of children in poverty had at least one working parent.

Some working parents we spoke with in Resolven in the Neath Valley, told us the cut would cost them hundreds of pounds more at the weekly shop, money they can ill-afford.

'If we had more money, we would do more things': Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has stood by the decision despite criticism

A Welsh government spokesperson said: “We have always been clear that extending free school meals into the holidays was a time-limited crisis intervention in response to the pandemic.

“Following a number of extensions, we confirmed in March that we would fund it until the end of the May half term holiday.

“This summer, a wide range of holiday projects will be available across Wales, including the Food and Fun scheme, which we fund and will be available in all 22 local authority areas for the first time.

“We continue to support families through the cost-of-living crisis and have invested more than £3.3bn in programmes and schemes which put money back into people’s pockets.”

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