Mayor Expands Free School Meals for All Students into Next Academic Year

London’s Free‑Meal Mission Gets a One‑Year Boost

Mayor Sadiq Khan has just dropped a heavy‑handed budget, earmarking £140 million for another round of free school lunches in 2024/25. In a nutshell: every primary‑school kid in the capital will get a plate of nutritious grub, no matter the family’s cash flow.

Why the Big Spend?

Help families dodge the cost‑of‑living frenzy.
Erase the stigma that “I’m paying for lunch” carries.
Boost kids’ nutrition and school focus.
Give teachers a quick‑jack boost — kids are happier, parents are relieved.

Currently, the program slams in up to 287k meals a day and has already served 17 million lunches between September and Christmas.

What the Numbers Say

Without this extra funding, many working kiddos would miss out on the help. Sadiq’s plan means that a substantial chunk of families can keep those plates coming for another year, saving them up to a staggering £1,000 over two years.

Reports from the Child Poverty Action Group and the National Education Union underline that free meals:

Lift parents’ financial and mental stability.
Sharpen pupils’ concentration and engagement.
Reduce the embarrassment of budgeting lunch money.
Strengthen school‑family ties.
Encourage healthy eating habits.

Parents Love the Pudding… or Should I Say Food?

City‑Hall‑commissioned YouGov polls show 91 % of parents who have their kids on free meals cheerfully back it. Reasons: 71 % say it frees up time, 62 % praise the health angle, and another 62 % appreciate the zero cost.

Meanwhile, 30 % admit they’re “financially struggling” and 35 % are cutting back on food prices. The city’s hunger plan feels timely.

Funding Itself

Each borough will receive £3 per meal starting September, a generous boost of 18.5 % over the government’s standard payment. That’s a welcome encore to the mayor’s earlier funding, which lifted the per‑meal amount from £2.41 to £2.53.

One‑Stop‑Shop for City Welfare

Mayor Khan’s agenda is broader than just lunches:

£3.46 bn for affordable homes.
£400 m for skills & employment programmes.
Over £80 m to tackle fuel poverty and food insecurity.
More than £3.5 m in emergency support, having already shipped over 10 m meals during school holidays.

Words to Remember

“Delivering free school meals has been one of my proudest moments as Mayor,” Sadiq says. “It’s a lifeline for children, giving them the nourishment and confidence to thrive in these hard times.”

And Chef Jamie Oliver chimes in: “Sadiq’s extension is a game‑changer – it’s not just food, it’s the foundation of future success.”