As many as 800,000 children have already fallen below the threshold that makes them eligible to receive the meals, The Guardian reported on Sunday, citing the Child Poverty Action Group, a charity.
“In England, all infant schoolchildren are entitled to free school meals from reception to year two, but beyond that only children whose parents earn less than £7,400 a year are eligible,” the paper wrote.
The problem is expected to fester in winter, when families are slated to pay more for gas and electricity, with an average annual bill running as high as to £3,549.