Free breakfast clubs will be expanded to a further 500 primary schools from April, saving parents up to £450 a year.
The government steps up support to help ease the cost of living and help parents balance work and family life. Schools already participating in the programme have delivered more than 7 million meals so far, assisting families to save up to £450 per year and save up to 95 hours each morning. The evidence is already demonstrating positive results: improved attendance, attainment and behaviour. Over 300,000 children will benefit from the Best Start free breakfast clubs.
Applications open today for 1,500 schools to join in September, so 680,000 children is set to benefit by September. Supported by £80 million, focusing on the most disadvantaged areas, the scheme is built on the government’s commitment to prioritise investment to help families manage the cost of living, including: providing 30 hours a week of free childcare; expanding free school meals to half a million more children; reducing the cost of branded school uniforms; building school-based nurseries; and removing the two-child limit.
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said: “I was raised by a single parent, so I know first-hand the struggles facing parents trying to make ends meet and how important it is to tackle outdated stigmas with practical support that people can feel every day.”
The UK government said the clubs are helping to tackle persistent stigma, with 60% of parents more likely to access support when it’s available to everyone. This follows data showing that nearly four in ten (38%) single parents feel guilty when accepting free support, in comparison to 28% of parents raising a family with a partner.
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