One in five pupils eligible for free school meals

More than one in five pupils in England are eligible for free school meals, figures show.

Data from the Department for Education, released yesterday, showed that 22.5 per cent of youngsters are eligible for free school meals, up from 20.8 per cent last year and representing just under 1.9 million children.

The proportion of pupils receiving free school meals in England has risen from around one in seven in 2015-16.

Pupils in the North East were the most likely to qualify on 29.1 per cent, followed by the West Midlands, where 26.5 per cent are eligible. In the South East, 17.6 per cent of pupils were eligible and in the East of England, 18.2 per cent of students can get free meals.