A video of a dinner lady confessing she is dreading going back to work after having to deny a growing number of pupils’ lunches has gone viral on social media as families become more concerned about the cost-of-living crisis.

The woman from Lancashire talks of how just before the summer holidays, she was spending “as much time taking food away from children as I do serving it”.

She said she has had to tell an increasing number of children they can’t have certain lunch items because there is a lack of or no money in their account.

While this used to happen every so often, she claimed this now happens to 10 to 15 children per shift.

The emotional video – from PoliticsJOE - has gained a huge amount of attention on social media and has been retweeted almost 9000 times.

The dinner lady, who is not named, said: “I’m just dreading going back to work.

“I don’t even think I can do this job anymore. I didn’t take this job on to starve children.”

Who is entitled to free school meals?

Entitlement to free school meals varies across the four nations of the UK.

In England, children can get free school meals if they are in reception or years 1 and 2 regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

Outside of these years, parents must be in receipt of benefits such as income support, Universal Credit or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance to be considered eligible.

Children who get these benefits directly instead of through a parent or guardian can also get free school meals.