Debt Free Advice Welcomes London Mayor's Free School Meals Initiative to Fight Food Insecurity and Poverty
London Mayor Sadiq Khan's announcement to provide free school meals to every primary school pupil in the capital for the 2023-2024 academic year has been welcomed by Debt Free Advice.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan's announcement to provide free school meals to every primary school pupil in the capital for the 2023-2024 academic year has been welcomed by Debt Free Advice. This initiative will provide much-needed support to families struggling to make ends meet, particularly as many Londoners are experiencing the impact of the cost of living crisis.
The research from Debt Free Advice shows that in January 2023, we have seen a 50% increase in the number of inquiries compared to the same month last year. We have also seen a 47.4% and 44.4% increase in people coming to the service with gas and electric arrears, respectively. Shockingly, our advisors have reported that 22% of new cases this year are in need of a food bank.
We fully support the Mayor's scheme to provide free school meals to every primary school pupil in London. This is a much-needed lifeline for families and children across the city who are struggling to make ends meet. We hope this initiative will help to reduce poverty and food insecurity in the long term.
"We fully support the Mayor's scheme to provide free school meals to every primary school pupil in London. This is a much-needed lifeline for families and children across the city who are struggling to make ends meet. We hope this initiative will help to reduce poverty and food insecurity in the long term."
