Mayor of London calls for universal primary free school meals

Research undertaken by London City Hall has displayed that an extra 270,000 primary school children should be entitled to free universal school meals. Giving families this option could save them up to £440 across the academic year.

According to the charity End Child Poverty, one in three children are living in poverty in London and this is expected to rise due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: ‘Families are sending their children back to school this week and many will be wondering how they’ll be able to keep putting food on the table as the cost-of-living crisis worsens.

‘The Government must act now to introduce universal free school meals for all primary school children. This would help build a better London for everyone, saving families hundreds of pounds a year, ensuring all primary pupils are eating a healthy, nutritious meal’.

Since 2014, all children in reception, year 1 and year 2 have been entitled to free dinners, but Mr Khan, has called on the government to provide further funding to extend this provision up to year six.

This policy is already in place in four London local authorities including: Newham, Islington, Southwalk and Tower Hamlets.

The Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE said: ‘In Newham, we rightly spend £6 million every year through our universal Eat for Free programme which means that all nursery and primary aged children enjoy a free nutritious and healthy meal at school, regardless of their family income. It’s a lifeline for families in our borough, who are at the coalface of this cost-of-living crisis, because it saves them £500 every year in food costs.

‘Households in Newham and across London are bracing themselves for the crippling impact of high bills this autumn because of extreme energy costs. They shouldn’t face the choice between feeding their kids or heating their homes and therefore it is crucial a universal free school meals policy for every child in London is put in place now.’

To register for free school meals, a household on universal credit in England must earn less than £7,400 a year, regardless of the number of children in the family. This low threshold means that children from working families in poverty aren’t entitled to free school meals despite being under the costs.

Mr Khan wants immediate action to combat the surging costs of food and energy, as the energy price cap increases to £3549 in October, UK inflation reaches 10.1% and is predicted to reach 18% by next year.

To further support families Mr Khan is requesting an immediate energy bills freeze and a lifeline tariff which will allow for a minimum floor of domestic energy use before being charged.

The London Mayor is also asking the government to give him the power to freeze rents in the capital for the next two years.  

Photo by CDC