Cornwall Council will become one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce automatic enrolment for Free School Meals (FSM), helping thousands of children and putting up to £3m back into family budgets and Cornwall’s schools each year.
The new system, agreed by Cabinet today (September 24), will go live from September 2026. From that point, families who are eligible for FSMs will no longer need to apply. Children will be enrolled automatically, ensuring no one misses out on the support they are entitled to.
Cornwall 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.”
Cabinet also discussed the Director of Public Health’s Annual Report, which this year focuses on child poverty.
The report shows 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.
Responding to the report’s findings, 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, said: “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.”
Cabinet also approved plans to develop a budget and financial strategy.
Addressing the chamber, 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, we will not see a significant increase in funding. There will however be increased costs,” he said.
“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 goal of the strategy would be to ensure “visible improvements across Cornwall” whilst ensuring “long term financial sustainability and resilience.”
Published on September 24, 2025