Rachel Reeves announces £315m free breakfast club scheme to begin in primary schools next year

23 September 2024, 18:41

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced that hundreds of primary schools will receive free breakfast clubs from next year.

Ms Reeves said the government is making "an investment in reducing child poverty" as she confirmed that a pilot for the £315 million free breakfast club scheme would begin in April.

Hundreds of primary schools will be offered the opportunity to get involved in the first stage, ahead of a national rollout.

Speaking at the Labour party conference, the Chancellor said the pilot would take place across 750 primary schools in England.

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"I will judge my time in office a success if I know that at the end of it there are working-class kids from ordinary backgrounds who lead richer lives, their horizons expanded, and able (to) achieve and thrive in Britain today," Ms Reeves said.

"That starts by taking the first steps on delivering another manifesto commitment, our promise, led by our Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, to introduce free breakfast clubs in every primary school across England.

"Today, I can announce that that will start in hundreds of schools for primary school-aged pupils from this April ahead of the national rollout, an investment in our young people, an investment in reducing child poverty, an investment in our economy."

General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU) Daniel Kebede said: "We welcome Labour’s recognition of the seriousness of child hunger and the impact this has on their education, and the importance of universal rather than means-tested provision.

"Breakfast clubs are a good step forward, provided they are fully funded, but Labour need to be bolder.

"The NEU is calling on Government to take urgent action to eradicate the spectre of child hunger from our schools by providing free school meals for all children in primary school.

"A hot nutritious school dinner every day will support millions of children whose families are facing the impossible choice of paying bills or eating during the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, and remove any stigma around much needed additional support.

"We must make sure no child goes too hungry to learn."

Patrick Roach, general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said the announcement was "an important step forward in tackling childhood hunger".

"Pledging this money for the start of a rollout of breakfast clubs in primary schools is welcome and will start to make a real difference for all children," he said.

"It is undeniable that schools are working hard to pick up the pieces of rising levels of child poverty, caused by the worst cost-of-living crisis in half a century.

"We know that when children are not hungry they have improved attendance, behaviour, and an increased capacity to learn.

"This announcement is an important step forward in tackling childhood hunger which is blighting education.

"We want to see a future where no child is hungry, where all children are ready to learn and where schools are supported fully to deliver the very best education for children."