According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the new policy will lead to an additional 1.7 million children getting free lunches, lifting about 100,000 children out of poverty.

Credits: PA;

"At last, more kids will get the food they need to learn and thrive", Kate Anstey, head of education policy at Child Poverty Action Group, said. "We hope this is a sign of what's to come in autumn's child poverty strategy, with the government taking more action to meet its manifesto commitment to reduce child poverty in the UK."