Free school milk in Wales could end after funding scheme review 2026

Key Points

• The Welsh Government has issued a 10-week consultation regarding the future of the School Milk Subsidy Scheme in Wales.
• Currently, milk is freely available to pupils in reception to year 2, whereas pupils from years 3 to 6 have access to subsidised milk.
• The Rural Payments Agency will cease operating the scheme in Wales from 31 March 2027.
• The consultation will review whether a new school milk scheme run by the Welsh Government should start from April 2027 or if the provision of free school milk should come to an end.
• This scheme costs about £3 million a year and has been running since 1977 according to reports in Wrexham.com and Deeside.com.
• On census day in 2024/2025, 81,374 pupils accessed milk under the scheme which accounted for 30 percent of the 267,346 pupils eligible for the scheme.
• Primary age children will continue to have access to milk via breakfast clubs and Universal Primary Free School Meals scheme irrespective of the consultation results.
• There will be no impact on the Nursery Milk Scheme that caters to pre-school children.
• Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language Anna Brychan called for decisions to be made “on the fullest possible evidence”.

Wales (Wales Times) October 27, 2026 — Free school milk for young primary pupils in Wales could be discontinued under proposals being considered by the Welsh Government, after it opened a public consultation on the future of the School Milk Subsidy Scheme.

What Is the Welsh Government Proposing?

As reported by Wales247, the Welsh Government has launched a 10-week consultation examining whether free school milk provision should be discontinued or replaced with a new Wales-specific scheme.

The consultation, published on 26 October 2026, asks whether a new Welsh school milk scheme should be established to continue provision from April 2027, or whether free school milk should end altogether.

The Welsh Government said the consultation will be used to determine the next steps for school milk provision in Wales.

Why Could the Current Scheme End?

The current School Milk Subsidy Scheme is administered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of the Welsh Government.

According to the Welsh Government, the RPA notified ministers in April 2024 that it intended to stop providing the scheme to the devolved nations. It will cease delivering the scheme in Wales after 31 March 2027.

As reported by uk/local/wrexham/">Wrexham.com, the scheme has run since 1977 and costs around £3 million a year. Schools can choose whether to participate and may provide up to 250ml of milk per pupil.

Who Currently Receives Free Milk?

Under the existing arrangement, learners in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 receive free milk. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 receive milk at a subsidised cost.

The Welsh Government confirmed that the scheme supports pupils in primary education, while milk for children below school age is provided separately through the Nursery Milk Scheme.

The consultation does not propose changes to the Nursery Milk Scheme, and the Welsh Government said provision for pre-school children would not be affected by any decision on the School Milk Subsidy Scheme.

How Many Children Are Affected?

Figures published alongside the consultation and reported by Deeside.com show that 81,374 pupils received milk through the scheme on census day in 2024 to 2025.

That represented about 30 per cent of the 267,346 pupils who were eligible.

The impact assessment also stated that the Welsh Government does not hold evidence on whether children who currently receive milk through the scheme would consume the same amount through school meals if the scheme ended.

Will Milk Still Be Available in Schools?

The Welsh Government said milk will remain available to primary-age children through breakfast clubs and at lunchtime through the Universal Primary Free School Meals offer, regardless of the consultation’s outcome.

However, the consultation specifically concerns the future of the dedicated School Milk Subsidy Scheme, which provides free or subsidised milk outside those existing meal and breakfast provisions.

The Welsh Government has not said that all milk provision in Welsh primary schools will end; rather, it is consulting on whether the current dedicated scheme should continue under a new Welsh arrangement or be discontinued.

What Has Anna Brychan Said?

Anna Brychan, the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, said milk has long played a role in supporting the health and wellbeing of young learners.

As quoted by the Welsh Government, Ms Brychan said: “Milk has long played a part in supporting the health and wellbeing of our youngest learners, and I want to make sure any decisions about its future are based on the fullest possible evidence.”

She added: “That’s why I’m launching this consultation today, to hear directly from schools, parents, learners and the farming and dairy sectors.”

Ms Brychan encouraged people with views on the issue to take part and help inform the Welsh Government’s decision and future approach.

What Does the Impact Assessment Say?

An impact assessment published with the consultation says a new Welsh scheme could be funded through a grant paid to councils, according to reporting by Wrexham.com and Deeside.com.

Deeside.com reported that ending the scheme would free up around £3 million a year for other educational, health or anti-poverty priorities.

The same report said the assessment concluded that ending the scheme “carries greater, though presently unquantified, risks for disadvantaged learners and parts of the Welsh dairy supply chain”.

The Welsh Government has also published a children’s rights impact assessment and a rural proofing impact assessment alongside the consultation.

How Does This Link to Wider Food Policy?

The consultation complements the development of the National Food Strategy for Wales.

One aim of that strategy is to increase the use of Welsh produce across the food system, including in schools.

The Welsh Government said school food will be one of the first areas of focus for the expert working group supporting the strategy.

When Does the Consultation Close?

The consultation launched on 26 October 2026 and will run for 10 weeks.

According to the consultation listing, responses must be submitted by 4 January 2027.

The Welsh Government said the consultation is open to schools, parents, learners and the farming and dairy sectors.

Background of the Development

The School Milk Subsidy Scheme has provided milk support in Welsh schools since 1977.

It currently offers free milk to the youngest primary pupils and subsidised milk to older primary pupils, with schools able to opt in and provide up to 250ml per pupil.

The immediate reason for the review is the Rural Payments Agency’s decision to stop administering the scheme in Wales after 31 March 2027. The agency informed the Welsh Government of that intention in April 2024.

The Welsh Government must therefore decide whether to create and fund a replacement scheme in Wales or allow the dedicated school milk provision to end.

Prediction: How Could This Affect Welsh Families and Schools?

If the Welsh Government establishes a new scheme, families with children in Reception to Year 2 would be likely to continue receiving free milk, while pupils in Years 3 to 6 could continue receiving subsidised milk from April 2027.

If free school milk provision is discontinued, the Welsh Government says milk would still be available through breakfast clubs and Universal Primary Free School Meals, but the dedicated milk scheme would no longer operate.

For parents, the main practical effect could be a change in whether milk is provided free during the school day, particularly for younger primary pupils. For schools, a new Welsh-run scheme could involve different funding or administrative arrangements through councils.

For Welsh dairy farmers and suppliers, the outcome could affect demand linked to the school milk supply chain. The impact assessment reportedly identifies potential risks for parts of that supply chain if the scheme ends.

The final decision will depend on the responses received during the consultation and the Welsh Government’s assessment of the evidence.