Cornwall to auto-enroll eligible students in free school meals from 2026
Council approves automatic enrollment to expand access and boost school funding amid poverty concerns; budget strategy also outlined.
Cornwall Council approved automatic enrollment for free school meals for eligible families starting September 2026, removing the need for families to apply. The move was approved at a cabinet meeting, the council said. It comes as a Director of Public Health annual report shows more than 27,000 children and young people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are growing up in relative poverty.
Council leader Leigh Frost said auto-enrolment would make a real difference for children and families, noting that as many as 1,800 children could be missing out on the support they're entitled to. He added that auto-enrolment could put about £900,000 back into family budgets each year and bring nearly £2 million in additional Pupil Premium funding into Cornwall's schools.
Councillor Thalia Marrington, portfolio holder for community safety and public health, said the council had a responsibility to respond to the public health report with urgency, compassion and ambition. Councillor Hilary Frank, portfolio holder for children, families and schools, said the report is powerful for lifting up the voices of children and young people, reminding that poverty is not an abstract concept but something that shapes lives now, daily, as well as future opportunities.
Cabinet also approved plans to develop a budget and financial strategy. Councillor Adam Paynter, deputy leader and portfolio holder for resources, said the council would need to make significant savings of between £45 and £70m in order to reach a balanced budget for 2026/27. Unless there are significant changes to government proposals, there will not be a significant increase in funding; there will however be increased costs, he said, which makes it more critical than ever that funding is directed to where it is most needed and in line with political priorities.
The measures come as the authority grapples with long-term financing pressures and the broader context of public health funding, underscoring a need to align resources with priorities while addressing child poverty in the region.