Pupils are eating empty lunch boxes and pretending to eat rubber bands because they are not entitled to free meals, lawmakers have heard.
The Child Poverty Action Group claims that at least 900,000 children living in poverty in England are denied free school meals due to criteria set by the government.
Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman, said during a Commons debate on providing free school meals: There is no food at home.
“A child comes to school without eating anything since lunch the previous day and is eating rubber at school because he is so hungry. A child hiding in the playground because he doesn't think he can eat. These are all stories that take place in British schools today. “This has to stop.”
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Currently, all children in public schools in England are eligible for free school meals from Reception to Year 2. Students in grades 3-6 from eligible households are also eligible for free lunch under existing government regulations.
Mr Wilson told lawmakers that free lunches could be “life-changing” because they help children eat healthily, improve their concentration and save parents money.
PwC's analysis found that every £1 spent on free school meals for the poorest children generates £1.38 in core benefits, including a nearly £3 billion increase in that child's lifetime earnings.
Councilor Twickenham said: “Free school meals are incredible. We must provide meals to every child living in poverty, regardless of whether they are in primary or secondary school. Because hunger and poverty don’t end at age 11,” Twickenham said.
Ms Wilson told the story of a mother in her constituency who escaped mental health medication to run away from her abusive partner and pay for her daughter's lunch.
“It’s about mothers taking the responsibility of feeding their children seriously and paying the price with their health and wellbeing. “It’s unfortunate that the conservative government is forcing parents to make this impossible choice,” he said.
She said accusing parents of not taking enough responsibility “is an insult to all parents who cannot afford to feed their children.”
Mr Wilson added: “It is a scandal that the only hot meal a child in this country gets each day may be a free school meal. In countries like the UK, families are struggling for basic human needs and this is terrible. “The government should bow its head in shame,” he said.
Schools Secretary Damian Hinds said the Government was prouder of extending eligibility for free school meals than anything else.
“We are spending more than £1 billion a year to provide free school meals to the highest proportion of school children ever – more than a third – ever,” he said.
“This compares to one in six children receiving free school meals in 2010. This comes despite a one million drop in unemployment, more than 600,000 fewer children in unemployed households since 2010 and a decline in the proportion of people earning low hourly wages. “My salary has been cut in half since 2015.”
In January, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the expansion of universal free school meals to public primary school students across the capital. The program will cost the Greater London Authority around £130m a year.