All pupils in England whose families claim universal credit will be eligible for free school meals under an expansion of the Government-funded support.
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “The food we eat as children has a huge impact on our lives. Put simply, children who eat a healthy meal at lunchtime are better able to concentrate in lessons, they’re not worried about where their next meal will come from and they have better attendance at school.
“Sadly, this has not been the case for many children growing up in poverty, who weren’t eligible for free school meals despite their families claiming Universal Credit.
“Today’s expansion of Free School Meals is a huge step forward – and one we’ve long campaigned for.
“We hope it represents the first step of many as the government prepares its Child Poverty Strategy and works towards its goal of creating the healthiest ever generation of children.”