Free breakfast clubs expand from September 2026 - is your school offering childcare worth £450?

The cost of childcare for parents is a hefty burden on budgets, which is why a rollout of more free school breakfast clubs from September 2026 could help ease the pressure.

The scheme is set to provide 95 hours of free childcare worth an estimated £40.

At the same time, school uniform rules are changing offering further savings for families.

Here's what you need to know...

More free breakfast clubs from September

Around 1,400 more schools will begin offering free breakfast clubs from September, taking the total number participating to more than 2,700 schools across England.

When the new school year begins, more than 680,000 children are expected to attend the clubs, compared with around 300,000 currently.

The clubs provide children with a free breakfast before school and offer parents free childcare at the start of the day. Win-win.

The government estimates families using a breakfast club every school day could save up to £450 a year, as well as gaining around 95 hours of free childcare over the course of the school year.

How can I find out if my child's school is offering a free breakfast club?

The Department of Education has not yet published a full list of schools taking part in the scheme from September. So the easiest way to find out is to check directly with your child's school.

Schools offering the free breakfast club programme are expected to let parents know before the start of the autumn term, either by email, text, letter or through their website.

You could also check your local council's website, as some councils publish information about schools taking part in the scheme.

What if my child's school isn't taking part?

Not every school will offer a free breakfast club from September.

However, the government says it plans to continue expanding the programme over the coming years.

So even if they are not yet offering the club, this could change.

School uniform rules are changing

As well as the rollout of free breakfast clubs, schools in England must follow new rules to help bring down the cost of school uniforms from September 2026.

The biggest change is a cap on the number of branded uniform items schools can require.

This means parents should be able to buy more everyday items, such as trousers, skirts, shirts and PE kit, from supermarkets and high street retailers rather than being forced to purchase expensive branded versions from specialist suppliers.

Coupled with the breakfast club changes, the government estimates parents could be saving up to £1,000 from September.

We've also put together a guide on the supermarket school uniform deals available now.