The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced an historic £130m emergency scheme to help families with the spiralling cost of living by ensuring that every primary schoolchild in London will receive free school meals in the next academic year. The Mayor is stepping in with the one-off proposal to ensure that healthy free school meals are universally available to all primary school pupils for one year from September due to the extreme pressures currently facing households across the capital. The unprecedented move will help around 270,000 primary school children and save families around £440 per child across the year. Sadiq, who received free school meals as a child, has repeatedly called on the Government to make the meals available to all as research has shown that hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren live in poverty but do not receive them due to the Government’s restrictive eligibility criteria and lack of universal provision. Currently a household on universal credit must earn less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including benefits), regardless of the number of children in the family, to be eligible. This means that many children from working families in poverty aren’t entitled to free school meals. Given the Government’s inaction, and the soaring cost of living hitting London’s families particularly hard, the Mayor has now proposed a plan to make the meals available – on a universal basis – to all of the capital’s primary schoolchildren for one full school year. As well as saving families hundreds of pounds per child, making free school meals available to all helps reduce the stigma that can be associated with being singled out as low income, therefore boosting take-up among families who need them most. The meals are also good for children’s health as they may be the child’s main source of hot, nutritious food. By ensuring they don’t go hungry, children are better equipped to learn. Sadiq made the announcement of the emergency funding today as he visited his old school Fircroft Primary, in Tooting. This is one-off funding from additional business rates income. Sadiq is clear that he is only able to provide help that should be coming from the Government for one year. Sadiq said, “The cost of living crisis means families and children across our city are in desperate need of additional support. I have repeatedly urged the Government to provide free school meals to help already stretched families, but they have simply failed to act. “This is why I’m stepping forward with an emergency £130m scheme that will ensure every single primary pupil in the capital receives free school meals. This will save families hundreds of pounds over the year, ensuring parents aren’t worrying about how they’re going to feed their children. It will also guarantee every primary school student a healthy, nutritious meal – meaning they don’t go hungry in the classroom and can better concentrate on their studies. “I know from personal experience that free school meals are a lifeline. My siblings and I depended on them to eat while at school and my parents relied on them to give our family a little extra breathing room financially. The difference they can make to children who are at risk of going hungry – and to families who are struggling to make ends meet – is truly game-changing. “Supporting London’s families through this cost of living crisis and helping ensure our children are properly fed is vital as we continue striving to build a better London for everyone – a city that is fairer, safer and more prosperous for all.” Chef Tom Kerridge commented, “All children deserve access to healthy, nutritious food and, at a particularly difficult time for many households and families, I’m pleased to lend my support to the Mayor’s initiative to ensure every primary school child in London has access to free school meals.” Barbara Crowther of the Children’s Food Campaign, said, “This is utterly delicious news! We applaud the Mayor for announcing this vital nutritional safety net for every single primary school child in London for the coming academic year. We know a healthy meal is fuel for both brain and body, so that our children can concentrate, play and learn. “However, healthy school food for all must not just be an emergency measure, it should be a core part of a fully inclusive education system for the long term. It would be a sound investment, as research shows that every £1 invested in healthy school meals could deliver £1.71 in increased educational outcomes, better health and longer-term economic benefits. So our national Government also needs to step up and make school food for all a permanent part of our education system and the future prosperity of the nation.” Kevin Courtney, Joint Gen Sec, National Education Union, shared, “This announcement is a much-needed lifeline families experiencing hardship following a decade of economic mismanagement from the Government. Poverty has a profound impact on students’ attainment and educational outcomes, and the cost-of-living crisis is leading to a devastating fall in living standards for millions, forcing more families into poverty and hardship. “Free school meals must be a central part of any attempt to raise attainment, particularly for the least well-off, and make society fairer for everyone. The best way to achieve this is by offering free school meals to every child in primary school. 'Children who have access to a healthy, hot meal, every day, are better able to focus, connect with their peers and build bright futures. Making this access universal removes the stigma and ensures all children get the support they need to thrive. “The Mayor’s announcement will help families to navigate the cost-of-living crisis, will ensure that all children are fed during the school day, and will allow schools to best support their communities. The Government must now end its inaction and commit to funding free school meals for all in primary across the rest of the country, and long term.” Charlotte Hill OBE, CEO of The Felix Project, noted, “We know the need among parents is incredibly high, The Felix Project provides over 170 primary schools with surplus food and we currently have more than 130 on our waiting list. 'The school food banks are a huge help to parents, particularly for those who do not qualify for free school meals but are still really struggling with the high costs of feeding their children throughout the day. We welcome this scheme and the positive impact it will have on both parents’ finances and the children themselves.” Cllr Kieron Williams, Leader of Southwark Council, said, “As one of the first councils to guarantee a hot, nutritious meal at lunchtime for all primary school children, we know how life-changing they are. The Mayor's pledge to extend them to all primary children across London for the next year will be a lifeline for families who are being hit hard by the cost of living crisis. “We introduced them in Southwark because we saw how many children were falling through the gaps and the toll it was having on their learning and health. It's been a huge success, reducing obesity levels among our young people, helping them engage in learning, and boosting academic performance. We will be using the opportunity of this investment from the Mayor of London to tackle hunger in our secondary schools. “What the Government needs to do is all too clear: extend free school meals to all primary school children, like we have done in Southwark and the Mayor plans to do across London.” (source: https://www.london.gov.uk/)