153 city pupils auto-enrolled for free meals

MORE Newcastle children now have access to free school lunches, after a push to help more struggling families.

- By DANIEL HOLLAND

Newcastle City Council announced last December that all eligible children in the city would be automatically enrolled for free school meals (FSM), instead of parents having to sign up.

The move, which has been enacted by a number of authorities across the North East, came amid concerns that too many youngsters from poorer households were missing out on what could be their only meal of the day.

City health chiefs were told this week that the exercise has now resulted in 153 children being approved for FSM. It is estimated that around one in 10 pupils eligible for FSM in England are not registered and it costs their families as much as £450 a year to provide lunches for primary school age children.