But the scheme requires a lot of paperwork and digging through data for the councils who implement it to establish which families are eligible.
Fix Our Food says it wants the government to bring together datasets from different government departments to make the process quicker and easier.
MPs could soon be debating the issue in parliament, after it was introduced via a private members’ bill, external on 16 October.
The government says it is looking at long-term solutions to child poverty but has not committed to rolling out the scheme nationwide.
A spokesperson said one of the first priorities was providing free breakfast clubs in primary schools, which is expected to roll out to the first 750 schools in April 2025.
All children in England get a free school meal up to Year 2.
In Wales and in London, all primary school children automatically get a free school meal but eligible secondary pupils still have to apply.
In Scotland, external, all pupils up to P5, the equivalent of England’s Year 4, get a free school meal.
Families are eligible for free school meals after that point if they are on universal credit and earn less than £796 per month, or around £9,500 per year.
In Northern Ireland, external, the threshold is £15,000 per year, after tax.
