One million children living in poverty will miss out on free school meals under universal credit plans, charity warns

One million children living in poverty in England are set to miss out on free school meals under universal credit proposals, a charity has warned.

The Government has been accused of missing a “golden opportunity” to ensure no child in poverty goes hungry in school after it emerged just 700,000 of the 1.7 million school children in poverty would receive free school meals under plans to introduce means testing to the system.

While all families in receipt of universal credit have so far been automatically entitled to free school meals, The Children’s Society has warned the plans will create a “cliff-edge” where many families would be better off taking a pay cut.

Analysis of figures by the charity show that under the plans, once a family with one child passes the £7,400 threshold they would need to earn £1,124 a year more – the equivalent of working 2.4 hours more each week at national living wage – to make up for the loss in free school meals.

The Department for Education has disputed the claims, insisting that more than 50,000 extra children will be entitled to free school meals through its eligibility proposals following the rollout of universal credit.

Announcing the proposals last month, the Government suggested it would introduce a net income threshold of £7,400 a year before benefits are taken into account for families to benefit from free school meals. Minister for Children and Families Robert Goodwill said the measure would “ensure the support reaches children from the most disadvantaged families”.

But in light of today’s figures, campaigners and politicians said the proposals “undermine the very principle” of universal credit being designed to make work pay, and accused the Government of “failing to tackle child poverty”.

The analysis from The Children’s Society show that the regions worst affected by child poverty stand to lose the most from the proposed eligibility criteria, with 212,000 children projected to miss out on free school meals in London, and 130,000 set to miss out in the West Midlands.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of The Children’s Society, said: “There are significant, proven benefits for children’s health, education and their futures in making sure they have a healthy lunch every day, but at least one million children will miss out if this change is introduced.

“Continuing to provide free school meals for all children on universal credit would not only help vulnerable children, it would also prevent low-income parents being left worse off if they take on more hours or get a pay rise.

“Universal credit was designed to always make work pay, but these plans will undermine that very principle.

“If the Government wants to show it is truly committed to tackling the growing crises of inequality and child poverty, delivering free school meals for children in low-income working families is a crucial step.”

Debbie Abrahams, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “The Conservatives are failing to tackle child poverty, refusing to even commit to a reduction target, and holding our children back.

“We need to make sure that work always pays and this proposal does nothing of the sort, instead it creates a serious ‘cliff edge’ for families on the lowest incomes. Labour will introduce universal free school meals to end the scandal of children going hungry at school.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “The fact is over 50,000 more children will be entitled to free school meals through our eligibility proposals following the rollout of universal credit.

“It’s right that we make sure this support reaches children from the most disadvantaged families and we’re consulting on this issue to make sure that’s the case.”