The government's flagship free breakfast club programme has achieved a significant milestone, serving two million meals in its first term and providing substantial benefits to thousands of families across the country. This initiative is designed to offer parents approximately 100 hours back each year and save them up to £450 in childcare costs, forming a key part of wider government measures aimed at supporting working families.

New data highlights the tangible advantages experienced by both parents and children. The 30 minutes of free childcare afforded by the clubs give parents crucial extra breathing space in busy mornings, easing their commute to work, facilitating appointments, and helping them better juggle family life. A recent parent poll indicated that over half (59%) were motivated by the cost savings, and eight out of ten parents reported that the clubs helped them get to work on time and drop their children off more easily.

This rollout fulfills a government manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils, aligning with the broader Plan for Change to ensure more children are ready to learn when they start school. The clubs have shown a significant positive impact on children's attendance, behaviour, and concentration. A third of parents (31%) observed their children focusing better in lessons, and nearly half (48%) found it easier to get their child out of bed and into school. For children, the primary attractions were seeing friends (69%) and playing before school (63%), reinforcing the program's goal of fostering a supportive start to the school day. Children's favorite breakfast choices included cereal (39%), toast (32%), and fruit and yoghurt (8%).

This program complements other government actions to address the cost of living crisis, such as increasing the National Living Wage, extending free school meals to all children in Universal Credit households (saving parents £500 annually), and expanding the Warm Homes Discount to provide £150 savings for six million families next winter. Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, emphasized the program's immediate and direct impact on easing pressures on working families and breaking the link between background and success.

Testimonials from parents and school leaders underscore the program's positive effects. Annika Fox, a mother of two, described the free breakfast clubs as a