NO child will lose their free school meal during the rollout of Universal Credit as a result of changes voted for last week, insists Redditch MP Rachel Maclean.

Children in families with net earnings up to £7,400 will be entitled for the meals under the new Universal Credit benefit system.

Labour shadow education secretary Anglea Rayner claimed that meant that more than one million children could be left without hot food.

But Redditch's MP has hit back at those suggestions, and said the changes ensure those on the lowest incomes remain the focus of free school meals.

She said: “Labour are scaremongering by saying we are taking away Free School Meals from children. This is just plain wrong.

"Our plans mean an extra 50,000 children will be eligible for a meal at school by 2022, while Labour’s claim that changes could leave over a million children without this is deliberately misleading.

"It’s disgraceful they are seeking to cause harm amongst vulnerable communities by spreading these deliberate myths and untruths.

“Labour’s plans to extend Free School Meals to everyone in receipt of Universal Credit – which includes families with income of £40,000 – would deliver high additional costs that would be borne by ordinary families through higher taxes and more borrowing.

“I am committed to ensuring disadvantaged young people are able to access a free nutritious meal at school. Contrary to the misinformation peddled by the Labour Party, the Government is increasing the number of disadvantaged children who are eligible for this."

Campaigners have argued that all families claiming Universal Credit should be able to claim the meals.

Around 10 per cent of the 1.13 million pupils receiving free school meals would no longer be eligible under the changes, though the government has said these children will continue to get them.