The scheme, which comes into force from September, is set to save families around £440 per child and will benefit around 270,000 primary school children in the capital.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he has acted because the government failed to change the “restrictive” eligibility criteria for the free school meals scheme, which excludes children from households whose income is just above the eligible £7,400 annual income threshold.
The mayor said the scheme will be funded from “higher-than-expected business rates income”.
Khan, said: “The cost-of-living crisis means families and children across our city are in desperate need of additional support. I have repeatedly urged the government to provide free school meals to help already stretched families, but they have simply failed to act.
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