Portsmouth Free Breakfast Club opens as Labour Government slashes cost of childcare and school by up to £8,000

• Parents set to save £8,000 through Labour’s free breakfast clubs and early years childcare offer combined, making day to day life easier and more affordable
• First 750 free clubs delivered today ahead of national rollout, in watershed moment for families across England and milestone in Labour’s Plan for Change

School mornings just got easier for families in Portsmouth as 750 schools open free breakfast clubs today, offering 30 minutes of free childcare, a healthy start for kids and a little more breathing room before the school bell rings.

Parents will be supported with additional time at the start of the day to attend appointments, get to work on time and run errands.

In total, this means parents will be able to save up to 95 additional hours and £450 per year if their child attends free breakfast clubs every day.

This amount rises to a saving of up to £8,000 every year when combining Labour’s free breakfast clubs with further support through the expansion of government-funded childcare and new school uniform cap on branded items.

In February Court Lane Junior Academy in Portsmouth was named as one of the first 750 schools to provide all their children with access a free breakfast and at least 30 minutes of free childcare, every day, helping to support parents getting into work.

With the cost of everyday essentials stretching budgets, these clubs will be a lifeline for working families simply trying to get by.

When you’re raising a family, every penny counts and that’s why the Labour government is stepping in to ease the pressure and put money back in parents’ pockets.

No matter the postcode or the pay packet, every child deserves the same chance to thrive. That’s the principle behind this rollout — real support for families in every corner of the country, so no one is left behind.

Delivering on Labour’s Plan for Change, the landmark free breakfast clubs are proven to get more children school-ready and break down barriers to growth, with schools urged to buy British when sourcing nutritious food for the clubs.

These clubs sit alongside Labour’s action to tackle the cost of living, with inflation falling for two months in a row, wages growing faster than prices and fuel duty frozen. Together, they show Labour’s Plan for Change is delivering for working families.

Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said:

“I am delighted to see free breakfast clubs open their doors today to nearly 180,000 children across the country including here in Portsmouth. “The new clubs prove that Labour’s Plan for Change is putting children first, supporting working families and breaking down barriers to opportunity. “We are cutting the cost of childcare and school by up to £8,000 for Portsmouth parents while ensuring their children get the best start in life.”

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“As a parent, I know that the combined pressures of family life and work can often feel impossible to juggle. That is why our manifesto promised to make parents lives easier and put more money in their pockets with free breakfast clubs. Under a year since we came into office, this government is delivering that through our Plan for Change. “The rollout of free breakfast clubs is a truly game-changing moment for families in this country. They mean parents will no longer be hamstrung by rigid school hours and have the breathing space they need to beat the morning rush, attend work meetings and doctors’ appointments, or run errands. And crucially, it means better life chances for children. “By making these clubs free and universal, we’re doing something that previous governments have never done. We’re going further and faster to deliver the change working families deserve. That’s the change this government was elected to deliver.”

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“Free breakfast clubs are a central part of our Plan for Change. At a time when there is so much pressure on families, they provide real help with the cost of living and ensure children start the day with a nutritious meal. “On top of the hectic school run, parents should not have to worry about how to balance work and getting their children fed and ready for school. These clubs will break down barriers and help children settle in, focus and get the most out of their learning. “We are delivering on our promises and giving every child the best start in life while making sure families get the support they need, wherever they live.”

According to new government data, parents are also motivated to take up free breakfast clubs because of the improvements they can have on their wellbeing.

Many see them as an opportunity to socialise with other children before school (30%) and spend more time doing the activities they enjoy (28%) – offering a supportive start to the day that leads to better behaviour, and better life chances.

The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils; while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn.