An emergency scheme has been unveiled to extend free school meals to every primary school pupil in the capital, including Richmond borough, for one year.

The scheme will come into effect in the new school year in September and is an effort to help households struggling to get through the cost-of-living crisis.

Government funding for school meals has failed to keep up with inflation, which means headteachers are having to raid budgets or rely on fundraising by parents to cover the costs.

Currently the Government provides just £2.42 per meal, which make it difficult to provide filling nutritious meals, yet contract caterers are typically charging £2.53.

Providing a free school meal for every child at primary school will remove the stigma felt by those youngsters who qualified for this option in the past.

A Richmond Council report published last month found that many parents and children in the borough were turning down free school meals because they were embarrassed.

The move by the Labour mayor Sadiq Khan has been welcomed by a local MP, however she questioned whether funding will be sufficient and what happens after it comes to an end.

The scheme in London is predicted save families around £440 per child over the one year and the mayor says he will provide £130m from money raised from additional business rates income.

The MP for Twickenham, Munira Wilson, said: "With so many children living in poverty in the capital, this is welcome, building on Lib-Dems action in coalition to fund free school meals for all infants.

"The Tories continue to fail our children, leaving councils and mayors to pick up the pieces.

"But what happens after one year? And what about secondary aged pupils living in poverty, going to school hungry? Surely all secondary pupils whose families are on Universal Credit should also be eligible for a free school meal, as Lib Dems have been calling for."

Currently, households in England receiving Universal Credit must earn below £7,400 a year before benefits and after tax to qualify for free school meals.

According to the Food Foundation, an estimated 800,000 children in England are living in poverty but do not qualify.

Mr 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.

"This is why I'm stepping forward with an emergency £130m scheme that will ensure every single primary pupil in the capital receives free school meals. This will save families hundreds of pounds over the year, ensuring parents aren't worrying about how they're going to feed their children.

"It will also guarantee every primary school student a healthy, nutritious meal - meaning they don't go hungry in the classroom and can better concentrate on their studies."

Mr Khan said his own family had relied on free school meals when he was a youngster.

"The difference they can make to children who are at risk of going hungry - and to families who are struggling to make ends meet - is truly game-changing," he said.

"Supporting London's families through this cost-of-living crisis and helping ensure our children are properly fed is vital as we continue striving to build a better London for everyone - a city that is fairer, safer and more prosperous for all."

Anna Taylor, chief executive of the Food Foundation, called on the Government to follow Mr Khan's lead.

She said: "We applaud London's Mayor for taking timely action to support families fighting the cost of living by ensuring every primary school pupil gets a nutritious lunch, no matter their background."

In December, Jamie Oliver called on the Government to extend free school meals to every household with parents on Universal Credit.

The government's children's food tsar and co-founder of Leon Restaurants, Henry Dimbleby, described the mayor's move 'absolutely fantastic'.

He said: 'If you look today at the biggest drag on our economy it is long term sickness. The biggest cause of avoidable disease is food. It's the biggest cost to the NHS, £74 billion cost to the economy every year. We could look at it as the beginning of thinking about how we change our food culture so that so many of us aren't sick and unable to contribute either in the lives of our families or friends or economically to the country.'.