A simple “online checking” system used by Bradford to end the scandal of poor children missing out on free school meals should be used by other local authorities, the Government has said.

But despite the success of the system, the number of young people enjoying a hot meal decreased in the last year, but rose among older pupils, figures issued by the Department for Education show.

During the 2010/2011 school year, 9,901 primary and nursery children were given meals and 6,527 secondary pupils, compared to 9,872 youngsters and 6,651 older pupils during the school year just ended.

Ministers believe the online eligibility checking system (ECS) – which allows councils to tap into data held by various Government departments – can end the “stigma” attached to making claims.

They want to spare parents of poorer children the possible embarrassment of handing over their financial details to their child’s school.

A low take-up also has significant consequences for school budgets, which – under the Government's cherished ‘pupil premium’ – are directly linked to the numbers on free dinners.

Bradford Council is one of the councils across the country using the system. A Council spokesman said: “In the Bradford district, around 90 per cent of people who claim free school meals do so as part of an application for housing and/or council tax benefit, which means we can assess the entitlement to multiple benefits at the same time.

“Those applying for free school meals only can do so directly at the Council’s revenues and benefits department, which means they don’t need to give their financial details to schools.

“Once we have received an application we use the ECS to check some of our free school meals claims. As the Council moves towards more self service for customers, particularly online, we are looking to integrate the ECS into the online application form so customers can check their own entitlement and see if they qualify.

“This will make it even easier to apply, and help in making sure those entitled to a free school meal are taking it up.”

Last month, Schools Minister Lord Hill of Oareford promised an autumn push to persuade all councils to sign up, saying: “We are encouraging local authorities to increase their use of this resource.

“As well as reducing bureaucracy and cost, is also encouraging more parents to sign up their children for a free school lunch.”

The Dfe was unable to say how many authorities were using ECS, set up after a study, by the Local Authority Caterers Association, found 15 per cent of pupils entitled to free meals fail to claim them.

Studies have found pupils who eat school meals are more likely to behave and concentrate. They are also less likely to eat junk food outside the school gates.

There are fears the new ‘universal credit’, to be introduced next year, will end payments of certain benefits – and therefore the automatic trigger of entitlement for a free school meal – if a household earns more than £7,500.