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The North East leads the way on free school meal auto-enrolment

The North East continues to lead the way in addressing child poverty, and recent developments in free school meal (FSM) auto-enrolment prove just that. 

In another important step forward, the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC) and Schools North East have released a powerful briefing to MPs across the region, showcasing the incredible impact of local FSM auto-enrolment trials. 

What is auto-enrolment, and why does it matter?

Free school meals are a vital lifeline for children and families facing financial hardship. They provide not only a crucial nutritional safety net but also act as a gateway to other forms of support, such as holiday food programs, enrichment activities, and even school funding through the pupil premium.

Yet, across the North East, a worrying number (11%) of eligible children do not claim this support, often due to the complexity of the process and/or families being unaware of their entitlement. 

Schools North East has consistently campaigned on this issue with Ministers, DfE, and the media, highlighting that the North East loses out on approximately £15 million of funding every year because of this issue.  Without registration, children miss out on essential assistance, and our schools lose critical funding to support their educational needs.

This is where auto-enrolment can shine: a proactive approach where families eligible for FSM are automatically registered, unless they actively opt out. This simple but powerful method ensures fewer children are left behind, and the results are already remarkable.

Read the full brief here.

The true impact of North East auto-enrolment pilots

Four North East councils—Northumberland, County Durham, Middlesbrough, and Redcar & Cleveland—have rolled out FSM auto-enrolment trials this year. These pilots are changing lives and reshaping how support reaches those who need it most:

• 4,000 additional children identified and registered for FSM.
• An estimated £5.37 million in extra annual pupil premium funding secured for local schools.
• Just 26 families opted out, demonstrating overwhelming community support for the initiative.

These numbers reflect more than statistics—they represent tangible progress in tackling child poverty and ensuring every child gets the opportunity to thrive.

Why a national auto-enrolment system is needed

While these local pilots are a huge success, they’ve required significant resources from councils and schools. Meanwhile, the government already holds the data necessary to roll out a national FSM auto-enrolment system, eliminating the need for costly and time-intensive local efforts.

Schools North East and NECPC are calling on the government to use the upcoming Children’s Wellbeing Bill and a new national child poverty strategy to:

1. Implement a national opt-out FSM auto-enrolment system for all eligible school-aged children.
2. Expand FSM eligibility to include all families receiving Universal Credit, as well as college students aged 16-19.

These measures would make FSM more accessible, ensure every eligible child receives support, and secure additional funding for schools at a time when it’s desperately needed.

An effective collaboration for change

Alongside NECPC, Schools North East has been a vocal and active supporter of the campaign to ensure every eligible child in the region receives the support they need through free school meal (FSM) auto-enrolment. And it’s a project we are very proud to have an active role in.

Through partnerships with councils, schools, and local organisations, the collaboration with NECPC has helped identify and register thousands of children who were previously missing out on vital nutritional support and the broader benefits linked to FSM eligibility. 

Together we have:

• Collaborated with local authorities to implement groundbreaking auto-enrolment pilots across the North East, including in Northumberland, County Durham, Middlesbrough, and Redcar & Cleveland.
• Engaged directly with policymakers and the media, and provided evidence-based briefings to Ministers and MPs across the region to highlight the significant impact of these pilots.
• Raised awareness among schools and communities about the importance of FSM registration, emphasising the benefits for both children and their schools.
• Called for national reform, urging the government to adopt a nationwide opt-out auto-enrolment system that leverages existing data to ensure no eligible child is left unsupported.

Amanda Bailey, Director of North East Child Poverty Commission, said: “‘It has been fantastic to see councils in our region working in partnership with schools in their area to undertake these proactive auto-enrolment pilots over the last few months. 

“This work has not only had significant impact for pupils and schools, it has also helped demonstrate that there is a clear gap in the way in which the system currently operates, which we believe should be addressed by a national, opt-out auto-enrolment approach to ensure every child eligible for means-tested free school meals is registered for this support.

“The Government now has the perfect opportunity to deliver this – through the  Children’s Wellbeing Bill and new national child poverty strategy – and we urge them to use this evidence from our region to make this important change.”

Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “Thanks to the incredible efforts of council officers and local schools, pupils in our region will benefit from millions in additional funding. Schools North East is proud to have worked alongside the North East Child Poverty Commission to support this work, and to evidence its impact to national policymakers.

“We must continue working to ensure long-term disadvantage is properly funded within the school system. Find out more about this in the Schools North East Manifesto for Education.”

By championing local pilot programs, we’re proud to have played a part in securing an estimated £5.37 million in additional annual pupil premium funding for schools in just four local authorities. 

As Schools North East continues to advocate for systemic change, we remain committed to our vision of a future where no child is left behind due to administrative barriers. Our leadership and unwavering dedication is setting a powerful example—not just for the North East, but for the entire country.