This article is from the Labour Group on Bath and North East Somerset.
By Amanda Cornwallis: Low-income families in Bath & NE Somerset will be automatically enrolled for free school meals from September, instead of having to apply for them, thanks to Labour councillors in Bath & North East Somerset. The Labour Opposition won unanimous support for their “automatic enrolment” proposal at Thursday night’s council meeting (Thu 21 November).
This significant change means that from next September, eligible families in BNES will be automatically registered by the council for this government-funded support.
To be eligible for free school meals, a family’s total household income must be less than £7,400 a year, or £617 a month, before benefits. To put that in context, provisional figures for 2024 show the median average salary in B&NES is just over £32,000 before tax – the local mean average is over £40,000.
Almost 5,000 (4,715) B&NES children qualify for this government-funded support – a number that leapt by 27% between May 2020 and May 2023. By last January, 17% of B&NES state school pupils were eligible, and 2,500 of those were in primary school. But old government estimates suggest over 10% don’t claim – a number that could be much higher, and growing.
Cllr Lesley Mansell (Radstock) proposed the important change for Labour, asking BNES to learn from other councils who’ve already made the change, to make sure local children, families and schools receive this vital government money. After the unanimous vote, she said,
“I am delighted that this proposal was supported by every councillor at the meeting. It’s important we work together to change inertia into action, and deliver for local children.”
Robin Moss, Opposition Leader and the Labour councillor for Westfield, who seconded the motion, said,
“We’re really pleased this was a unanimously-supported motion and that BNES has decided to go ahead with auto-enrolling eligible families for free school meals from September. It will make a real difference to struggling families in BNES, and hopefully make a positive change. It’s just a first step for low-income families, but it’s a vital one.”
The main picture is of Robin Moss and Angela Rayner – the Deputy Prime Minister.
Residents can apply for free school meals now, through the council website at: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals .