20 February 2023 , 11:29
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Free school meals will be handed to all primary school children in London to support families during the cost-of-living crisis - but should they be offered to all primary school children?
Sadiq Khan’s £130million emergency scheme will fund free meals for the 270,000 state primary school children in the capital who do not already receive the benefit, of whom 100,000 live in poverty.
The landmark move will be introduced in September, and is expected to save families an estimated £440 a year.
The mayor, who received free school meals as a boy, said he hoped the move would help “reduce the stigma that can be associated with being singled out as low-income”.
He added that hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren live in poverty but are not eligible for free school meals because of the government’s “restrictive” eligibility criteria.
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An estimated 800,000 children in England who are living in poverty miss out on free school meals because of the strict eligibility rules.
To qualify their parents or guardians must earn less than £7,400 a year regardless of the number of children in the household.
Mr Khan said of the scheme: “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.”
The Mirror is calling for politicians in England to follow Scotland and Wales by providing free school meals for all primary school pupils.
Our Free School Meals For All campaign has been backed by the teaching unions, charities and leading chefs.
Research has shown that free school meals help children concentrate and reduce disruption in class.
Barbara Crowther of the Children’s Food Campaign said that every £1 invested in healthy school meals “could deliver £1.71 in increased educational outcomes, better health and longer-term economic benefits”
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