Overview
- Applications opened for 500 primary schools with at least 40% of pupils on free school meals to start clubs in April 2026, with a further 1,500 schools scheduled for September 2026.
- Funding rises include £1 per child for food and a guaranteed £25 per day for staffing and administration, taking the average package up by about 28 percent.
- Ministers say more than 500,000 additional children will be reached from April 2026, with parents saving up to £450 and regaining up to 95 hours of time each year.
- New partnerships with Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Weetabix and Magic Breakfast will support early adopter schools through July 2026.
- The national rollout follows a pilot across 750 schools delivering about five million breakfasts and evidence of attainment gains for 5- to 7-year-olds, while unions welcome the funding increase but urge ongoing review.