Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced £130 million of funding to give all primary school children in London access to free school meals in the academic year 2023 – 24. The emergency provision aims to help families who are struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Professor Becky Francis CBE, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: “Protecting the wellbeing and progress of all children, particularly those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, is of the utmost importance in these tricky times. The initiative announced by the Mayor of London is hugely significant for families struggling with poverty and the increasing cost of living.
“It also presents an exciting opportunity for us to explore the wider benefits of universal free school meal provision. We look forward to learning more and building our collective understanding through our forthcoming independent evaluation.”