Cornwall Council Confirms Automatic Enrolment for Free School Meals from 2026

Cornwall Council has confirmed that from September 2026, children entitled to Free School Meals (FSM) will be automatically enrolled, removing the need for families to apply.

The decision, agreed by Cabinet on Tuesday 24th September, will make Cornwall one of the first councils in the country to introduce automatic enrolment.

Support Without the Paperwork

Council leader Councillor Leigh Frost said:

“This is about making a real difference to children and families across Cornwall. Right now, we know that as many as 1,800 children could be missing out on the support they’re entitled to.

By investing in auto-enrolment, we can put almost £900,000 directly back into family budgets every year, while also bringing nearly £2 million in additional Pupil Premium funding into Cornwall’s schools.”

The new system is expected to help thousands of children and deliver up to £3 million in combined benefits annually.

Poverty in Focus

Cabinet also received the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report, which this year highlights child poverty. The findings revealed that more than 27,000 children and young people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are growing up in relative poverty, equal to one in five.

Councillor Thalia Marrington, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Public Health, said:

“This report is not just about describing the problem, it is about understanding it and acting on it.

As a Cabinet we have a responsibility to respond with urgency, compassion and ambition, because poverty is not inevitable and it is shaped by the choices we make.”

Councillor Hilary Frank, Portfolio Holder for Children, Families and Schools, added:

“What makes this report particularly powerful is the way it lifts up the voices of children and young people.

It reminds us that poverty is not an abstract concept but something that shapes lives now, daily, as well as future opportunities.”

Balancing the Books

Cabinet members also discussed the council’s financial strategy. Councillor Adam Paynter, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources, warned that the council would need to make “significant savings of between £45 and £70m” to balance the budget for 2026/27.

He said:

“Unless there are significant changes to government proposals, we will not see a significant increase in funding. There will however be increased costs.

That makes it more critical than ever that our funding is directed to where it’s most needed and is in line with our political priorities.”

Councillor Paynter added that the strategy would focus on delivering “visible improvements across Cornwall” while ensuring “long term financial sustainability and resilience.”

Read the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report here.