Research has shown that hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren live in poverty but do not receive free school meals due to the Government’s restrictive eligibility criteria.
Since 2014 Tower Hamlets has provided universal free school lunches for primary aged children. Tower Hamlets were only one of only four London boroughs to offer this prior to The Mayor of London’s funding package to implement free school meals for all primary school children in London for the 2023-24 academic year.
Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman told The Evening Standard: “We are proud to be investing in our young people by funding universal free school meals for all primary and secondary children. A high-quality universal offer improves health and educational outcomes, while reducing inequalities and saving families money.”