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1961°
Posted 20 February 2023
Every London primary school pupil to get free school meals next academic year (2024/2025)
In store: London ·
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Dan_82 Deal editor
Joined in 2006
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About this deal
*Update 9th Jan 2024*
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today confirmed that all primary school children in state-funded schools in the capital will continue to get free school meals for the next academic year, providing £140million extra funding as the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit families.
Source
About time, could always be earlier but finally some good news for many, which should help around 270,000 primary school Children.
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.
Full information is on 'Get Deal', if you wish to read up on it further.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today confirmed that all primary school children in state-funded schools in the capital will continue to get free school meals for the next academic year, providing £140million extra funding as the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit families.
Source
About time, could always be earlier but finally some good news for many, which should help around 270,000 primary school Children.
- Mayor proposes to provide one-off £130m to ensure all primary schoolchildren in the capital can receive free school meals for the 2023/2024 academic year
- Emergency funding would help around 270,000 primary school children and save families in London around £440 per child across the year
- Given lack of Government help, Mayor steps in to support families for the next year due to the impact of the spiralling cost of living
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.
Full information is on 'Get Deal', if you wish to read up on it further.
More details at Community Updates
Edited by Dan_82, 9 January 2024
373 Comments
sorted byUs in the north east had a near miss there!
Just hope this idea rolls out across all the schools so we can at least benefit from my “school dinner eating” daughter (edited)
But I have a feeling it may be about some odd company getting the contract and trying to make as much profit as possible so will use the cheapest ingredients available to just about match the contract standards
If you can’t afford to have kids then don’t ! It’s not like we are underpopulated but this country seems to be going the way of a Third World country….
And let's not forget tax avoidance!!
I mean rich Boris is trying to get legal aid worth £¼ million!!!
What's the difference?? (edited)
Where is a deal here?
I see only one - for Sadiq Khan desperately trying to save his nosediving rankings after his lies about ULEZ expansion were exposed.
Keep in mind that kids from poorer families (like receiving Universal Credit) were already entitled to free school meals.
And the first one partially pays for the second one?
Idea.. Let’s use some of our money to make sure that young children are not malnourished or go hungry..
Response - no, let them starve because we don’t like that idea.. let’s starve them and then rely on them to fund us when we retire.. but of soul searching required for some on here
Banks and energy companies laughing at us. Remember to vote!
I feel sad that so many people are suffering right now because of the incompetent government. (edited)
Populist decisions rather than targeted useful ones. "We all pay tax", so what...
As an old man said, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs".
Funnily enough you don't see many complaining about the fact that we pay for MP's lunches though.
Don't give food supply contracts to some politicians friend who will overcharge the government. Then pay back their friend with paid "speeches" .
I am not sure what on earth is doing in the deals forum ain the first place. Surely it should be in Discussions.
Cheap food that will go to waste just like the fruit initiative
London is awash with money at the expense of the rest of the country
How about parents paying for the kids they have and not relying on making others feel they have to do it?
If only they hadn't peed away over £40 billion on a 'world beating', envy of the universe track and trace system and written off all that covid fraud!
The ULEZ scheme is a con 100%. If you can afford to spend £12.50 daily,you are welcome to continue polluting London🤡🤡,which people who can't afford to buy a new compliant car are doing on a daily basis,and helping Sadiq Khan raise his London funds that he has wasted over the last 8yrs already.
So people in Sunderland, Hull and Bolton are paying to feed people in Chelsea, Kensington and Knightsbridge.
That seems perfectly fair to me.
People in London pay council tax in London.
People in London are paying for school meals in London.
If the people of Sunderland, Hull and Bolton want this in their towns they need to speak to their councils.
Not all families pay attention to their children's well being, rich or poor. Feed the blooming kids, you can't teach any in the class, properly, if there are hungry ones.
For those without any idea what a households income has to be below, before the entitlement of free dinners is -
Well, it is £7,400. A pittance. And that was set 5 years ago. Dog food alone has nearly doubled in price since then.
As a note the Local Government Associations' research says the qualifying threshold ought to be £20,000.
What an insular existence some lead and the others who just don't give a toss are probably the bullies.
Figures the government will only help those on their doorstep. (edited)