UNIVERSAL Primary Free School Meals are to be rolled out early to all year one pupils in Denbighshire from January.

Last December, the Welsh Government announced plans to offer free meals to all primary school pupils.

The phased delivery approach would be implemented from September 1, 2022 to September 2024.

Following the initial receipt of £859,000 from Welsh Government to support the roll out of Universal Primary Free School Meals (UPFSM) across Denbighshire, works were undertaken throughout the summer - and completed in August - at 13 sites across the county to increase the capacity of the authority’s primary school kitchens.

Due to the successful completion of these works, Denbighshire County Council rolled out Universal Primary Free School Meals to all reception pupils from September.

A second allocation of £1.2million of funding has now been received from Welsh Government and will be used to undertake further refurbishment works on both dining and kitchen facilities throughout 2023 in order to ensure that all primary pupils have access to Universal Primary Free School Meals by September 2024.

READ MORE: Denbighshire arrangements for free school meal payments

Despite rollout to years one and two not being scheduled until Easter 2023, the authority has now announced it is ready to expand the offer to year one pupils as of January 2023.

From the start of the spring term, reception and year one pupils in Denbighshire schools will be asked on a daily basis whether or not they would like to access a school meal.

They will be able to opt in or out without having to pre-book and the meal will be provided free of charge.

Further information will be available on the Denbighshire website at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/education

If pupils are already in receipt of free school meals and/or any other associated benefits, these will not be affected.

A further rollout of Universal Primary Free School Meals up to year two is still anticipated for next Easter.

Gill German, Denbighshire lead member for education, children and families, said: “It is fantastic news for Denbighshire pupils that the authority will be able to rollout the Universal Primary Free School Meal offer up to year one ahead of schedule.

"With mounting pressures around the cost of living the sooner we are able to offer this support to our communities the better.”

The next phase of refurbishment works will focus on ensuring that all Denbighshire primary schools are able to deliver up to year two by Easter 2023, followed by years three and four from September 2023.