More free breakfast clubs to tackle cost of living head-on

Half a million more children could benefit from free breakfast clubs. From April 2026, the government aim to launch a national rollout targeting areas hardest hit by the cost of living. Parents could save up to £450 a year and reclaim 95 hours of time. This initiative aims to help alleviate financial pressures on households while supporting children in starting the day prepared for learning.

Applications open 19 November 2025 for the first 500 schools to take part in the April 2026 rollout. A further 1,500 are set to join in September 2026.

The £80 million investment prioritises schools with the highest proportion of pupils on free school meals. This aims to break the link between background and success. The government has increased funding by 28 per cent for an average school, allocating £1 per child and £25 per day for staffing and administrative costs. This funding is intended to support schools in expanding the range of healthy options available at breakfast clubs.

Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:
“Helping families with the cost of living is my number one priority. Free breakfast clubs are already a lifeline for parents, and now we’re going further – tackling both the cost of living and child poverty head-on.”

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, added:
“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.”

Evidence from the pilot phase shows 38 per cent of parents struggle to provide a healthy breakfast. Time and fussy eating emerged as major barriers. The research showed that breakfast clubs boost attainment by about two months in maths, reading and writing for 5–7-year-olds, while also improving attendance and punctuality.

Duncan Jacques, CEO of Exceed Academies Trust, said:
“Free breakfast clubs have made a real difference for children and families, helping pupils start the day settled and ready to learn.”

Industry partnerships with Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Weetabix and Magic Breakfast will support schools with discounts and free deliveries. The government believes this will ensure quality and variety.

Jason Elsom, Chief Executive of Parentkind, summed up the impact:
“Breakfast clubs are not a luxury; they are a lifeline. 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.”

The initiative is presented as both a response to the cost-of-living pressures and a measure aimed at supporting children’s health, education, and development. The government says that it hopes the programme will demonstrate the impact of targeted policy interventions.