One million children missing out on free school meals, research shows

More than one million children living in poverty across the UK are missing out on free school meals due to eligibility criteria, a report warns. The research from Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) and Covid Realities shows that 36 per cent of all school-aged children living in poverty in the UK are not entitled to a free meal at school. The analysis shows that despite a rise in the number of children claiming free school meals between March 2020 and March 2021, restrictive eligibility criteria still prevents many in poverty from accessing any form of free school meal provision. Read more.