Starting April 2026, around 2,000 more schools will begin offering free breakfast clubs—helping half a million extra children start their day with a healthy meal.
The government has confirmed the expansion, which will make life easier for families across the country. For parents, it means more breathing space in the busy morning rush, plus savings of up to £450 a year on childcare. On top of that, it’s estimated to free up about 95 hours of childcare time.
This move delivers on the government’s pledge to ensure every state primary school has a free breakfast club, with the national rollout kicking off next year.
Backed by an £80 million investment, the expansion builds on the success of 750 schools already running free breakfast clubs through the early adopter scheme. The results so far have been promising—better attendance, improved focus in class, and even positive changes in children’s behaviour.
Breakfast clubs are just one part of the wider Plan for Change to support working families. Other measures include:
- Expanding free childcare to 30 hours a week for working parents.
- Rolling out Best Start Family Hubs—local “one-stop shops” where families can access classes, events, and activities designed to give every child the strongest possible start.
Together, these initiatives aim to help tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn and thrive.
More details on how schools can apply to join the scheme will be published by the Department for Education later this year.