NEARLY one in six secondary school children have missed lessons because they cannot afford uniforms, food, trips and transport, research showed yesterday.

The figure rises to more than one in four among children who are eligible for free school meals, the survey commissioned by Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) found.

The poll, of 1,700 state secondary school pupils aged 11-18 in Britain, comes as the government faces increasing pressure to scrap the two-child benefit cap and expand free school meals to more families in England.

CPAG head of education Kate Anstey said: “Children in poverty aren’t getting the real deal at school because they don’t have money to participate — or even get to the school gates.

“From not being able to afford meals or uniform to poor mental health, lack of money at home means young people are missing school — effectively priced out of the system.

“Government must do more to support living standards for families so kids aren’t locked out of learning — including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding eligibility for free school meals.”

The Survation survey found that, of those who said they missed school due to not having what they needed, 47 per cent said it was because they lacked the right uniform or kit.

Pupils eligible for free school meals were around three times more likely to give this reason for missing school than their peers, the report said.

A government spokesperson said: “We are determined to reduce child poverty through wide-ranging action as part of our Child Poverty Taskforce, breaking the unfair link between background and opportunity.”