More free breakfast clubs to tackle cost of living head-on as national rollout targets support to most in need
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Parents across the country set to save up to £450 per year as free
breakfast club rollout targets areas where families are struggling
most with the cost of living Applications open today for first 500
schools to start in April 2026, with 1,500 more to follow in
September - part of wider investment in public services to boost
opportunities and economic growth Funding rate increased by 28% for
an average school, helping expand variety of healthy breakfast
options at clubs...Request free trial
Half a million more children will benefit from Best Start free breakfast clubs from April, delivering real relief to families struggling with the rising cost of living whilst investing in the foundations of future economic growth. Applications open today for the next wave of 500 schools with 40% of pupils on free school meals to benefit from the programme, as the government invests £80 million in the right places to give every child the best start in life - recognising that a healthy, well-educated population is essential for a thriving economy. The move offers immediate help to working parents juggling childcare costs by saving them up to £450 and giving back up to 95 hours of time – over two and a half working weeks each year. That's money back in pockets and time back in busy lives, helping families with the cost of living whilst ensuring children are ready to learn and succeed. The government has increased the per child funding rate for mainstream schools to £1, making good on its commitment to roll out clubs with a variety of healthy meals. Schools will also receive a guaranteed £25 a day to cover staffing and admin so every type of school can easily deliver a breakfast club. For an average school with 50% take up, the total funding package has increased by 28%. The tough decisions we've made to stabilise the economy have enabled us to invest in our public services, including free breakfast clubs, and the Budget will further deliver on our plan for national renewal by boosting opportunity for all. Today's announcement builds on the government's decisions to prioritise investment to help families with the cost of living such as expanding free school meals to every family on Universal Credit, which will lift 100,000 children out of poverty, capping branded school uniform items, and introducing 30 hours funded childcare to working parents, saving them up to £7,500 per year. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
“I grew up in a family where every bill mattered, and I know what
it feels like for parents trying to make ends meet. That's why
helping families with the cost of living is my number one
priority. Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said: “This is national renewal in action - breaking down barriers so every child gets the best start in life, regardless of their background. “By rolling out free breakfast clubs to half a million more children, we're not just filling empty stomachs, we're supercharging the nation's morning routines. “This is about building a country where background doesn't mean destiny, where we invest in our children's futures, and where we deliver the real change working families desperately need.” By prioritising schools with the highest proportion of pupils on free school meals the rollout ensures the real-life impact of free breakfast clubs goes first to where it is most needed, helping to invest in the country's economic future. Evidence gathered through the test and learn phase shows more than one in three parents (38%) find it difficult to give their child a healthy breakfast before school, with fussy eating (36%) and time (28%) being the main barriers. As a crucial part of the Plan for Change, a further 1,500 primary schools will start offering the free clubs in September 2026, with applications due to open in January, altogether helping to extend benefits to over 200,000 more underprivileged children in a little over a year of the programme launching. Changing morning routines will not only help ensure no child starts the day hungry but boost attendance, attainment and future life chances. With 5 million free breakfasts already served, the clubs are already helping ensure a child's background will never be a barrier to opportunity. Among children aged 5-7, breakfast clubs have been proven to boost average attainment by the equivalent of 2 months' progress in maths, reading and writing. Better educational outcomes mean better job prospects, higher earnings and a stronger economy - demonstrating how investing in public services today drives economic growth tomorrow. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “Our free breakfast clubs are ensuring over half a million more children don't start the school day hungry, and save working parents around £450 a year. “We're launching this in the parts of the country that need it most — helping to bring bills down for families across Britain. “But we know there's more to do, which is why at my Budget I'll make the fair decisions to cut NHS waiting lists, cut national debt and cut the cost of living.” By saving even more parents up to £450 per year, money is going back into communities so they can choose how to spend it. The targeted approach drives more security, respect and opportunity back into society so families and kids can get on in life. This follows the test and learn phase that successfully delivered 750 clubs up and down the country, helping to provide a soft supportive start to children and a lifeline to working parents. In a landmark move to go even further, the government's pro-business approach has secured new industry partnerships with Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Weetabix as well as Magic Breakfast for current early adopter schools until July 2026. This will ensure top British brands can help schools benefit from discounts and free deliveries and kids to have access to healthier, varied meals. Duncan Jacques, Chief Executive Officer of Exceed Academies Trust said: “Free breakfast clubs have made a real difference for children and families at Exceed Academies Trust, with over a hundred children attending daily.” “They help our children start the day settled and ready to learn and we've seen improvements in attendance and punctuality. Following a nutritious breakfast children are more able to focus on their schoolwork and are keen to succeed.” “Following the success of the test and learn phase, the programme is now rolling out nationally. Increasing the funding rate will ensure trusts like ours keep offering this valuable support and the clubs remain of high quality.” It comes ahead of the upcoming Child Poverty Strategy, where every lever related to employment, housing, children's health, childcare and education will be examined to improve children's life chances. NOTES TO EDITORS Updated free breakfast club guidance HERE (goes live at 8am) Updated free breakfast club funding methodology HERE (goes live at 8am) Case studies to be found HERE (goes live at 8am) Education Hub post HERE Application portal for applying to the April 2026 cohort of the free breakfast programme can be found HERE (goes live at 8am) Supportive quotes: Jason Elsom, Chief Executive of Parentkind, the UK's largest parent charity said: “In modern Britain it is utterly unacceptable that any child sits in a classroom with an empty stomach. Breakfast clubs are not a luxury; they are a lifeline. “This programme will put food in hungry tummies, calm the chaos of the morning rush. “If we are serious about children turning up, settling down, and reaching their potential, we must get the basics right. “Making sure every child begins the day safe, welcome, and well fed is a powerful statement of intent about the kind of country we want to be.” Stephanie Slater, Chief Executive of School Food Matters, a charity dedicated to improving school meals said: “It's so refreshing to work with a government department committed to a test and learn process - practice informing policy! “The Early Adopters Scheme has been designed to identify what works well and address any challenges to delivery. “Today's announcement shows that the Department for Education is taking this process seriously; learning from the early adopters so that children, families and schools can enjoy the multiple benefits a breakfast club has to offer.” References An evaluation of the Magic Breakfast club scheme found that among children aged 5-7, average attainment improved by the equivalent of 2 months' progress in maths, reading and writing. An average sized mainstream school with 50% take-up is expected to receive £6.5k more, for a total of £29,500 annually, up from £23,000.
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