CYP Now - London mayor rolls out free meals to disadvantaged families over summer holidays

The mayor of London is funding free meals for disadvantaged families over the summer holidays, after half of parents said they will struggle to pay for essential items over the next six months.

Sadiq Khan meets children benefiting from free meals at a south London community centre. Picture: Mayor of London's Office

Some 49 per cent of parents and carers with children under the age of 18 said they will struggle to pay for their regular household shop in the next six months, according to the results of YouGov survey.

One in three are having to go without their basic needs or are relying on debt to pay for them, and one in eight are going without essentials.

Sadiq Khan announced an emergency funding package of more than £3.5m earlier this year to provide struggling families with free meals over the summer holidays.

More than three million free meals have already been given to families since April, with the funding set to deliver around 10 million meals over the summer break.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included