Free meals for all elementary school children in London, says Mayor Sadiq Khan

New Delhi: London’s mayor has announced an emergency program to provide free meals for all children attending state primary schools in the capital. According to a report in CNN, “The cost-of-living crisis means families and children across our city are in desperate need of additional support,” Sadiq Khan said. When will the program start? The $156 million program will run for the academic year starting in September and save families around $529 per child. The report in CNN added that the new program is expected to help around 270,000 pupils who are not currently eligible, according to estimates by researchers for the city government. UK economy avoids decline but cost of living pains many The pressures are likely to get worse as Britain faces a prolonged economic slowdown triggered by soaring food and energy prices and compounded by tax increases and higher interest rates that authorities have unleashed as they battle the crisis. The rising cost of living has driven months of strikes by nurses, ambulance workers, train drivers and other public-sector employees seeking higher pay. Middle-class families will see their disposable incomes fall by as much as 13%, or 4,000 pounds ($4,840), over the next financial year, according to analysis by the National Institute for Economic and Social Research. About 25% of households won’t be able to pay their food and energy bills out of their take-home income, up from 20% last year, the independent think tank estimates. For people across the U.K., that means turning down the heat and skipping showers to save money on gas and electricity bills after energy prices soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It also means constantly hunting for bargains or resorting to food banks after food prices jumped 16.9% last year. The government says its policies, including a cap on gas and electricity prices that is designed to limit average household energy bills to 2,500 pounds ($3,027) a year, have reduced the severity of Britain’s economic downturn. While a recession is often defined as an extended period of economic decline, experts disagree on exactly how to determine when a recession begins. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .