The Department for Education has confirmed that 1,400 more schools will offer free breakfast clubs worth an average of £450 each from September, while a new law on branded school uniform will cut costs for parents. Combined with the expansion of free school meals, families could save up to nearly £1,000.
Free breakfast clubs expand
From September, over 2,700 schools will run free breakfast clubs, up from the current number. For a family using the club daily, the benefit is worth up to £450 and 95 hours per year, equivalent to nearly two working weeks saved on morning routines.
Uniform cost limits become law
Schools must comply with new legal limits on the number of branded uniform items they can require. This allows parents to buy everyday basics like trousers and shirts from any shop or supermarket instead of a single expensive supplier. The government is also publishing strengthened statutory guidance to further reduce costs for items like blazers and jumpers by the 2027 school year.
Combined savings for families
According to the Department for Education, heading back to school will be almost £1,000 cheaper for many families. A child could benefit from up to £450 a year through a free breakfast club and up to £500 a year through the expansion of free school meals to every household on Universal Credit, plus savings from cheaper uniform.
Government's commitment
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: "No parent should have to choose between a summer day out to the beach and kitting their child out for school. From September, families will feel the difference at the school gates: free breakfast clubs at 1,400 more schools, an end to expensive lists of branded uniform, and more free lunches for those who need them. That’s the British childhood this government believes in – and why we’ll always fight to give every child the very best start in life."
