Free school meals in London: Who and how to apply

Families could save around £440 for every child, City Hall estimates

An emergency package to extend free school meals for every primary school child in London for a year has been announced.

London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has put forward the £130m scheme for the 2023-24 academic year - to help poorer families through the cost of living crisis.

The scheme will fund free meals for the 270,000 state primary school children in the capital who do not already receive free school meals, of whom an estimated 100,000 live in poverty, City Hall estimates.

Households on universal credit must make less than £7,400 a year – after tax and not including benefits – to be eligible for free school meals for their kids.

Those living in poverty and need of free school meals for their children should apply on the government’s website.

Mr Khan believes this move could make “a huge difference” to children across the city (PA Wire)

Mr Khan, who recieved free school meals himself said: “No child should go hungry in our city. I’ve repeatedly asked the Government to provide these meals but they’ve simply refused to act. That’s why I’m stepping in to help struggling families in this time of crisis.

“I know from personal experience that free school meals are a lifeline—they enabled me and my siblings to focus on the school day. I know they’ll make a huge difference to countless children across our city.”

Free school meals are avaliable across England for families that recieve any of the following:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit - provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190
• Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)