MOST of us have forms we mean to complete. They sit in an inbox or on the kitchen table as one busy day tumbles into the next. Usually, the worst that happens is another reminder. But for some families, a missed form can mean a child missing out on a school lunch.

Nearly 17,000 children in Cornwall are registered for free school meals. That is a sobering figure, reflecting the financial pressures facing many local families. But even that number may not tell the whole story. Department for Education analysis has found that around 11 per cent of eligible children nationally are not registered. Here in Cornwall, that could mean 1,800 children are missing out.

Not every parent finds forms easy. Some may be reading them in a second language; others may struggle with reading or feel unsure online. A child shouldn’t miss out on a healthy lunch because their parent finds a form difficult.

That is why Cornwall Council is introducing Free School Meals Auto-Award. Using information families have already shared with us for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, we can find children who may be eligible. We are then contacting their families and giving them the opportunity to opt out. If they are happy to go ahead, we will take care of the registration.

The meals themselves are funded by central government. Cornwall Council is spending around £168,000 to get Auto-Award up and running, making sure those meals reach the children entitled to them. If another 1,800 children are registered, around £1-million a year could stay in the purses of Cornish families.

And the benefits go further: for every child who is registered, their school can receive Pupil Premium funding to help remove barriers to learning. Schools decide how best to use the funding, perhaps for specialist support, breakfast clubs, educational activities or help with uniform. This means Auto-Award would bring another £2-million into Cornwall’s classrooms.

We will repeat the Auto-Award checks every term, so children can be registered when circumstances at home change. That matters because a family managing today can find life very different a few months later. We may not find every family, though, so please don’t wait if you think your child could be eligible. You can apply at any time through Cornwall Council’s Parent Portal.

Cornwall is one of the first councils in the country to introduce Auto-Award, and I am proud that we are taking this practical step. For me, it reflects a Liberal Democrat belief in fairness: a child’s access to support should not depend on whether their parent has managed to complete a form. Sometimes public services need to reach out, rather than wait for families to find their way to us.

Free school meals help children concentrate and learn, ease pressure on household budgets and bring valuable funding into our classrooms. Families already have enough on their plates, so we’re making it easier to put food on their children’s.

Cllr Hilary Frank, Cornwall Councillor for Saltash and Portfolio holder for Children, Families and Schools