Number of children eligible for free school meals soars to nearly 2 million

Charities estimate there are 800,000 more children in poverty who do not qualify for scheme

The number of children on free school meals has soared in England (Getty Images)

The number of children eligible for free school meals has soared to nearly two million in England, according to official government statistics.

Nearly 23 per cent of pupils now qualify – up from 20.8 per cent the year before – as the country grapples with a cost of living crisis.

The free school meals scheme is available to the most disadvantaged pupils in the UK from low-income families.