CORNWALL Council has announced that it is taking steps to make free school meals more accessible.

The council has revealed the rollout of a new process which aims to help more eligible children receive free school meals without families needing to apply.

Called the Free School Meals (FSM) Auto Award, the new process automatically checks whether some children are eligible for free school meals and enrols them if they qualify.

Information already held by the council will be used to identify children who may qualify, including those who currently receive free meals and households that receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

The change comes ahead of new national eligibility rules being introduced by the Department for Education from September this year.

Under the new rules, all households receiving Universal Credit will be eligible for free school meals, with the current household income threshold being removed.

Families will have the opportunity to opt out if they do not wish the council to carry out an eligibility check. Where eligibility is confirmed, children will be automatically enrolled to receive free school meals.

Cllr Hilary Frank, cabinet member for children, schools and families, has said that the scheme amplifies the council’s desire to ensure more children ‘receive the support they are entitled to.’

She said: “A healthy meal during the school day can help children concentrate, feel well and get the most from their education. That’s why we want to make sure every child in Cornwall who is entitled to free school meals receives them.

“Families already have enough to think about without having to navigate unnecessary paperwork. By using information we already hold, we’re making the process as simple as possible and helping to make sure more children receive the support they are entitled to.”