Nearly one in four households with children under the age of five are experiencing food poverty, according to the latest analysis from the Education Policy Institute (EPI).

The figures show that households with pre-school children face the highest rates of food poverty compared with households with older children or no children.

The EPI said food poverty is particularly damaging during early childhood, a crucial period of development that can shape children’s physical and mental health, behaviour and educational outcomes later in life.

According to the latest data, 24% of households with children under five experience food poverty.

Single-parent families are particularly vulnerable. Among single-parent households with children under five, the rate rises to 51% – meaning around one in two families are affected.

The figures also highlight a significant gap between families with younger and older children. Food poverty affects 51% of single-parent households with pre-school children, compared with 39% of those with older children.

The EPI is calling for greater government action to reduce food poverty among families with young children.

A key recommendation is the expansion of free meals to pre-school children attending registered early years settings.

The EPI said the existing Universal Infant Free School Meals programme, which provides free meals to children from Reception to Year 2, should be extended to younger children.

As a first step, it recommended making free meals available to all pre-school children whose parents receive Universal Credit, regardless of the type of early years setting they attend.

The institute said evidence from the Universal Infant Free School Meals programme showed positive effects on educational outcomes, reduced inequalities in absence rates and lower household expenditure.

The EPI has also urged the Government to review the benefits and support available to families to ensure that all households have enough income to afford essentials, including nutritious food.

The institute welcomed the publication of the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy and the abolition of the Two Child Limit, but warned that the Benefit Cap could still prevent some larger families from accessing sufficient financial support.

It also called for particular consideration to be given to disability-related benefits and support available to single-parent households.

The EPI is also calling for further improvements to the Healthy Start Scheme, including extending eligibility to four-year-olds and non-British children in households with no recourse to public funds.

It wants the income threshold for the scheme to be increased so that more children experiencing food poverty can benefit.

Research has found that the Healthy Start Scheme can help low-income families with young children by increasing purchases of fruit and vegetables and supporting healthier eating habits.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said the findings demonstrated the importance of ensuring young children have access to healthy food.

“The first years of children’s lives are vital. If they are hungry and do not have access to a healthy rounded diet, this can harm their physical and social development, both at home and in pre-school settings,” he said.

“These worrying findings underline the importance of the new government further expanding its moves to help families with the cost of living, and building on the previous administration’s welcome expansion of free schools meals to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit.

“It makes sense that this should apply to pre-school settings too, which would help ensure more children are ready to hit the ground running when they start school.

“We urge the government to look carefully at these sensible recommendations.”