The figures, which are contained in the Department for Education’s (DfE) previously unpublished analysis, have been revealed following a Freedom of Information request submitted by the GMB Union.
They show that the DfE expects 1.1 million children to lose out on free school meals by 2020 and between 2.3 million and 2.6 million to lose out in 2022.
This is despite the DfE continually insisting that no-one will lose out under the new means-tested measure of eligibility for free school meals (FSM).
The new system, which is currently being rolled out, will see households stop being eligible for FSM when they are earning £7,400 a year (excluding benefits).
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