Half a million more children to benefit
Half a million more children will get a healthy start to the school day as the government expands its free breakfast club programme to 2,000 additional schools from April 2026.
The Department for Education confirmed the £80m investment, saying the rollout will deliver on a key manifesto pledge for every state primary school to offer free breakfast clubs.
Savings for families
Officials said the expansion will save families up to £450 a year in childcare costs, while giving parents back around 95 hours of time otherwise spent managing morning routines.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the move would provide “real change” for families across the country. Breakfast clubs, she argued, not only ease pressure on parents but also improve children’s attendance, attainment and behaviour.
Early results show impact
The announcement builds on the 750 schools already running clubs under an early adopter scheme. Ministers say evidence from those schools shows improved punctuality and classroom focus among pupils who start the day with a free breakfast.
The expansion means that, by 2026, thousands more families will have access to breakfast provision on their doorstep.
Part of wider support
Breakfast clubs form part of the government’s Plan for Change, which also includes 30 hours a week of funded childcare for working parents and the rollout of Best Start Family Hubs offering free classes, activities and advice.
The aim is to ensure more children start school “ready to learn” while reducing costs for working families.
West Midlands impact
In the West Midlands, where child poverty rates remain above the national average in parts of Birmingham, Sandwell and Wolverhampton, the extension of breakfast clubs is expected to make a significant difference. Local headteachers have long warned that hunger undermines learning and widens attainment gaps.
By April 2026, hundreds of schools across the region are set to join the scheme, helping families manage the morning rush and ensuring children are better prepared for the classroom.
