Free school meals payments to continue over holidays

Denbighshire County Council is informing parents and guardians of arrangements being made to pay for free school meals throughout the summer holidays.

Over recent years, the council has put in place a system where it provides payments instead of free school meals, with £19.50 being paid to parents or guardians, per child per week.

So far, 4,275 children are benefitting from the free school meals payments.

Councillor Gill German, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Families, said: “When the Covid outbreak started, the council’s catering service responded immediately to continue to provide free school meals to those eligible and the Welsh Government announced that funding would be available to assist those individuals over the school holiday period.

“Denbighshire has administered the funding on behalf of the Welsh Government and funding has been paid directly into the bank accounts of parents and guardians. This means that families are receiving regular payments to meet the costs of buying and preparing meals.

“Now that the school holidays is nearly upon us, we’re making plans to re-start the payments, with the first payment due on July 25^th. This will be followed by weekly payments, with the last payment being made on August 30^th.

“Parents and guardians who qualify and who have received these payments will receive the monies directly and they do not need to contact the council.

* Further information about free school meals is available on the council’s website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/costofliving