How a free school breakfast club can save your family £450 a year

What is a free breakfast club?

A free breakfast club runs before school each morning. Your child gets a hot or cold breakfast at no cost to you or your family. The club must last at least 30 minutes and must be open to all pupils at the school.

The government pays schools to run these clubs. The clubs are not means-tested. You do not need to be on Universal Credit or Housing Benefit to get a place — every child at a participating school can attend.

How many schools have one?

From September 2026, more than 2,700 state primary schools in England are running a free breakfast club. Over 680,000 children will attend them this term — more than double the number last year.

Schools in the programme tend to be in areas where many pupils receive free school meals. If your child already gets free school meals, there is a good chance their school is part of the scheme.

The government plans to roll out free breakfast clubs to every state primary school in England over the coming years.

Who can use one?

Any child in reception to Year 6 at a school that is on the programme. You do not need to show any proof of benefits or income. The place is free for all families at that school.

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How much could you save?

If your child uses the breakfast club every school day, you could save up to £450 a year per child. That works out at around £37 a month — money you can put towards rent, bills, or the weekly shop.

The clubs also give you back up to 95 hours of free morning care each year. That is nearly 2 full working weeks. For anyone thinking about starting a job or increasing hours, removing that morning childcare cost can make a real difference.

How do you get a place?

First, find out if your child's school is on the programme. The easiest way is to ring or email the school office and ask: "Is our school on the government's free breakfast clubs programme?"

You can also search the official list of participating schools on GOV.UK (see the link below).

If your school is taking part, ask them how to register your child. Most schools just need you to let them know your child wants to come. There is no charge.

What if your school is not in the scheme yet?

Not every school is on the programme yet. If yours is not included, you can ask the headteacher to apply. Schools in areas with high numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals are given priority.

In the meantime, your local council's family information service may know of other morning support for your area. If you are finding it hard to afford food for your children, Citizens Advice can help you find local food banks and grants — visit citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0800 144 8848 for free.