A million children who are living in poverty in England will miss out on free school meals under new universal credit proposals, a Christian charity is warning.

Only 700,000 of the 1.7 million school children in poverty would receive free school meals under Government plans to introduce means testing to the system.

Up to now, families in receipt of universal credit have been automatically entitled to free school meals, but The Children's Society has now warned the plans will create a 'cliff-edge' with many families better off taking a pay cut.

According to analysis of figures by the charity, once a family with one child passes the £7,400 threshold they would need to earn £1,124 a year more – the equivalent of working 2.4 hours more each week at national living wage – to make up for the loss in free school meals, The Independent reported.

The Department for Education has insisted that more than 50,000 extra children will be entitled to free school meals following the rollout of universal credit. The Government last month suggested it would introduce a net income threshold of £7,400 a year before benefits are taken into account for families to gain from free school meals. The Minister for Children and Families, Robert Goodwill, said the measure would 'ensure the support reaches children from the most disadvantaged families'.

But the analysis from The Children's Society shows that the regions worst affected by child poverty stand to lose the most from the proposed eligibility criteria, with 212,000 children projected to miss out on free school meals in London, and 130,000 to miss out in the West Midlands.

The chief executive of The Children's Society, Matthew Reed said: 'There are significant, proven benefits for children's health, education and their futures in making sure they have a healthy lunch every day, but at least one million children will miss out if this change is introduced.

'Continuing to provide free school meals for all children on universal credit would not only help vulnerable children, it would also prevent low-income parents being left worse off if they take on more hours or get a pay rise.'