"No Child Goes Hungry"... London, UK Provides Free School Meals to Elementary Students for One Year

Mayor Khan: "I Also Received Free School Meals in My Childhood"

The capital of the United Kingdom, London, will implement free school meals for all elementary school students for the next year. The push for universal free school meals is said to be influenced by the childhood experiences of the current London mayor, who comes from an immigrant family background.

On the 20th (local time), the British public broadcaster BBC reported that the London city authorities plan to invest ?130 million (approximately 202.7 billion KRW) starting this fall for one year to provide free meals to all elementary school students across the city.

According to the media, the authorities explained, "Since tax revenue was higher than expected this year, we were able to cover the cost of (free meals)," adding, "Each household will see a reduction in expenses of ?440 (about 690,000 KRW) per student annually."

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London / Photo by Yonhap News

Currently, in England, free school meals are provided to those in poverty with an annual post-tax income of ?7,400 (about 11.54 million KRW) or less. However, according to local media reports, it is estimated that about 800,000 households are effectively living in poverty but do not meet the post-tax income criteria and thus do not receive free meal welfare benefits.

Regarding this, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said, "With the rising cost of living, additional household support is urgently needed," and added, "I have heard heartbreaking stories of children who cannot bring lunch boxes and are not eligible for free meals, so they pretend to have eaten lunch."

Mayor Khan confessed that he also received free meal support during his childhood, saying, "Unlike other friends, I felt embarrassed eating meals with vouchers. But if universal meals are provided, that will no longer happen."

Meanwhile, Sadiq Khan has served as the Mayor of London since his election in 2016. Born in 1970 to a Pakistani immigrant family in South London, his father worked as a bus driver and supported Khan’s education expenses.

After entering politics as a member of the British Labour Party, he was elected mayor and successfully won re-election in the 2021 mayoral election. Mayor Khan is also the United Kingdom’s first Muslim Mayor of London.