The government must extend free school meals to avoid undermining school staff efforts to tackle the disadvantage gap and support ministers’ “growth agenda”, sector leaders have warned the prime minister today.

In a letter signed by 12 organisations - including all four main teaching unions in England, and the sector bodies for school trusts, governors and business leaders - Liz Truss, education secretary Kit Malthouse and chancellor Jeremy Hunt are told: “Now is the right moment for the government to commit to an expansion of free school meals.”

The letter says that every single school professional is “focused on ensuring that our most disadvantaged children are not left behind”, and that we “must” make sure every child has the nutrition “they need to be able to learn and thrive”.

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And the letter goes on to warn: “Not doing so would undermine all the great efforts of the education workforce to tackle inequalities and support your government’s growth agenda.”

It adds that many families are struggling to pay for school meals because they fall outside of the restrictive free school meal (FSM) eligibility criteria, and says that hunger is a “real issue” in schools.

Free school meals for all is ‘the clear solution’

The letter concludes that a “clear solution” would be universal provision of FSM, but “as an immediate first step”, it says that FSM must be expanded to all families receiving universal credit.

At the moment, universal infant free school meals are available for all government-funded schools, offering FSM to pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, but not those in later years in primary school.

Beyond this, free meals are available to those on various benefits, but for those on universal credit, the pupil’s household must have an income of less than £7,400 a year.

Key figures in education and politics have recently campaigned for the extension of the eligibility for FSM.

Speaking at Conservative Party conference earlier this month, former education secretary Michael Gove proposed extending free school meals to every child in a family in receipt of universal credit.

Last month Tes revealed that schools were losing thousands shielding pupils from rising meal prices.

In response to the article, Andy Jolley, a school meals expert and campaigner, agreed that widening the FSM criteria was needed as a “matter of urgency”.

And Wayne Norrie, chief executive of Greenwood Academies Trust, said: “It’s really important that people know how low the FSM threshold is. We need to widen that threshold.

“There are lots of ‘just managing’ families that are just above this threshold now, that don’t get any support, that will struggle to pay for essentials if prices continue to rise.”

TV chef Jamie Oliver has also campaigned heavily for the extension of free school meal eligibility this month.

A Government spokesperson said: “We understand that families are facing cost pressures due to international events driving up inflation and global energy prices. This is why we are providing over £37 billion to help households with the greatest need.

“We have also expanded access to free school meals more than any other government in recent decades, which currently reaches 1.9 million children, and our National School Breakfast Programme supports schools by providing free breakfasts to children in schools in disadvantaged areas.”

The full letter, sent to Ms Truss, Mr Malthouse and Mr Hunt, can be seen below: