Free school milk across Wales faces closure as the Rural Payments Agency prepares to end its administration of the subsidy.
Welsh Government Consults on Scheme Future
The Welsh Government launched a 10-week consultation on 26 October for the £3 million a year initiative. Officials weigh two paths for the program operating since 1977, choosing between funding a new grant-based model or ending the service from April 2027.
Anna Brychan urged public participation. Milk has long played a part in supporting the health and well-being of our youngest learners,
Brychan said, adding that she wants decisions based on the fullest possible evidence
and encouraging everyone with a view on this issue to take part in the consultation
.
Participating schools provide up to 250ml of milk per pupil, with institutions deciding independently whether to take part in the offering.
Milk Distribution Reaches 81,374 Pupils Across Participating Schools
On census day in the 2024 to 2025 academic term, 81,374 pupils received milk through the setup. That figure represents around 30 per cent of the 267,346 children eligible across participating institutions.
Participating schools currently offer free milk to full-time reception through year two students, alongside subsidised portions for years three to six.
An impact assessment published alongside the consultation documents indicates that a new scheme would be funded through a grant paid to councils. Terminating the arrangement would free up around £3 million annually to redirect toward alternative educational, health, or anti-poverty priorities.
Officials stated that students would still retain routes to dairy through breakfast clubs and free school lunch provisions. Separate arrangements for younger children below school age, provided through the separate Nursery Milk Scheme, remain unaffected by the current review.
Farming Leaders and Parents Criticize Proposed Milk Cuts
NFU Cymru president Abi Reader said the prospect extremely disappointing
.
We should be encouraging children to understand and value the food produced in Wales, not removing opportunities for them to experience it,
Reader said.
Another parent, Nicole Williams, emphasized dietary value for vulnerable households, while other families recalled older children previously benefiting from daily school milk. Laura Anne Jones referenced historic cuts under Margaret Thatcher in critiquing the current Welsh administration’s proposals.
The administration transfer takes effect after 31 March 2027, when the UK agency concludes its management role.