Commenting as hikes in the cost of school meals in Northern Ireland come into effect for families, Dr Graham Gault, national secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT NI, said

“These huge increases will have a real impact, especially upon families on low incomes who do not qualify for free school meals.

“For some pupils, a school dinner is the only ‘proper’ meal they access each day, and we hear anecdotally of families cutting back on cooking hot meals due to pressure on household finances following a period in which food prices have risen considerably.

“School leaders and teachers worry that some pupils may feel guilty about accessing meals, or even skip then completely, compromising their nutritional intake and affecting their focus in class.

“These price hikes represent a failure of political leadership and government underfunding of education, with the Education Authority passing cuts onto children and families as it faces a £300m shortfall.

"Politicians should work together to prevent these rises, not expect already hard-pressed families to plug the gap.”

The cost of a school dinner for primary and special school pupils has gone up by 50p from £2.60 to £3.10.

Post-primary pupils face price rises of 19% on food they buy from school canteens, while pre-school prices are also increasing.