More than 90,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to act to ensure all children in poverty get free school meals (FSM).
As many as 1.2 million school children living below the poverty line do not get FSM because they are either not entitled to them or their families do not claim the allowance.
A study last year by the Children’s Society found that 700,000 school children are not entitled to FSM under the current system. A further 500,000 are not claiming their entitlement for reasons including a fear of being stigmatised.
A family is defined as living in poverty if their household income is less than 60 per cent of the national median. In England, children are eligible to receive FSM if their parents receive certain benefits, such as income support.
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