Data analysed by the Labour Party show that between March and October last year more than 11,000 children became eligible for free school meals each week.
The data, coupled with the party’s additional research, suggests the total number of children who became eligible for free school meals between March and December 2020 grew by 418,000.
The figures have been published amid calls from Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green to extend free school meals during the upcoming school holidays, including next week’s half-term break.
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