The council said the policy is 'a lifeline to struggling families during a time of soaring food and energy prices'

Free lunches in nurseries and secondary schools in Westminster will continue to be served on a "permanent basis", the borough has announced.

Labour-run Westminster City Council confirmed this week that it will be extending its free school meals programme for pupils between the ages of 3-14 into the coming academic year and beyond.

The commitment has been made possible, the council said, thanks to London mayor Sadiq Khan pledging in his re-election manifesto this year to make his own programme of free school meals permanent.

Mr Khan's re-election means that the earliest his scheme could be removed would be upon the election of a future mayor, which is not expected any sooner than May 2028.

The London-wide programme provides lunches on a universal basis for all state primary school children in the capital. Some boroughs, like Westminster, were already providing those meals when Mr Khan launched the policy, initially on a year-long basis, in 2023 - but all councils have received funding regardless, enabling some to extend their offer to younger and older children.