Guidance

NSBP secondary school support conditions of grant: 2026 to 2027 academic year

Updated 1 October 2026

Applies to England

Introduction

Legislation

The NSBP secondary school support grant will be paid by the Secretary of State for Education as a grant under section 14 of the Education Act 2002. In accordance with section 16 of that Act, the Secretary of State attaches the following terms to the grant payable.

Purpose

The NSBP secondary school support grant is for the purpose of funding schools with secondary-age pupils that were participants of the now-closed national school breakfast programme (NSBP), so that they can continue to offer breakfast provision to their pupils.

This guidance should be read in conjunction with:

• NSBP secondary school support grant 2026 to 2027: funding methodology
• National school breakfast club programme guidance

Period

These conditions of grant cover the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

Eligibility

Types of settings

The following settings are eligible to receive funding, provided they meet the Criteria.

Local authorities

This includes local authority maintained:

• mainstream schools
• special schools
• pupil referral units

Academies

This includes:

• mainstream academies
• alternative provision (AP) and special academies
• non-maintained special schools (NMSS)

Criteria

Eligible schools that were participants of the national school breakfast programme (NSBP) with secondary-age pupils were advised of their eligibility in May 2026, prior to the closure of the NSBP. Eligible schools confirmed acceptance of grant funding before the end of July 2026.   

Payments

Calculation

An allocation for this grant has been calculated using a standardised methodology. We will publish the breakdown at school level shortly before first payment.

To cover costs for the autumn 2026 and spring 2027 terms, a fixed payment will be made in:

• November 2026 for local authorities
• December 2026 for academies

Funding for the summer 2027 term will be paid in arrears in the autumn term of 2027.

We will confirm final allocations by early November 2026, before the first payment. See the funding methodology for further details about how allocations are calculated.

Local authorities and settings are required to maintain and keep clear records of income and expenditure in relation to this grant including evidence of the use of funds.

Payment timetable

Payments	Local authorities and their maintained schools	Academies	Non-maintained special schools
Payment 1 (approximately 67% of total funding)	November 2026	December 2026	November 2026
Payment 2 (approximately 33% of total funding)	November 2027	December 2027	November 2027

School closures and academy conversions

If a setting closes during the financial year, the grant for the proportion of the financial year the setting is open should be allocated by the:

• local authority for maintained schools
• Department for Education (DfE) for academies

This grant is allocated on a school level basis. DfE will not seek to claw back any grant funding from a local authority if a school converts to academy status after the payment is made.

The grant allocation is intended for the school and it will be assumed that the local authority passed on the entire grant funding to the school immediately upon receipt from DfE. In addition, any unspent grant funding should remain with the school after it converts to academy status.

In respect to calculating a school’s final accounts, any pro-rated amount up to the point of conversion is included in the balance calculation for the school. The remaining amount that relates to the period after the school has converted should be accounted for by the academy.

Where a school has converted to an academy by 1 November 2026, the academy will receive its NSBP secondary school support grant directly from DfE.

Local authorities should pay the 2026 to 2027 academic year grant to schools due to convert to academy status as follows:

Date of conversion to academy	Proportion of 2026 to 2027 grant passed on by local authority
On or by 1 November 2026	Funds paid directly to academy
After 1 November 2026 and on or by 1 November 2027	Any unspent funding
After 1 November 2027	All of the allocation

Additional local authority duty

Local authorities will be required to certify that they have passed on the correct amount of funding to schools. We will issue a certification form to local authorities in spring 2027.

Local authorities must pass funding on to their maintained schools including special and AP, in a timely manner in line with their scheme for financing schools.

Permitted use of funding

The funding allocation must only be spent on breakfast provision for secondary-age pupils that meets the school food standards. It must not be spent on any costs associated with other provision outside of breakfast, for example, lunch or breaktime food provision offered by the school.

Schools may pass on funding to providers (such as caterers) to deliver their breakfast provision, but it remains the school’s responsibility to ensure DfE grant conditions are met. 

Assurance

Carry forward

Funds must not be carried forward to fund breakfast provision in the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

All funds must be used to reimburse expenditure made by end of the 2026 to 2027 academic period. Any funding not required for the purposes outlined in these terms and conditions by this date should be returned to DfE.

Records required

Schools must maintain clear records of activity and expenditure for all grant-funded activity. This includes communications issued to pupils offering free breakfast provision and evidence of expenditure incurred, such as food, drinks and delivery costs.

Accurate records of expenditure, including total spend and supporting documentation, must be retained and made available to DfE on request should the school be selected for evaluation.

Further information

Books, other documents and records relating to the recipient’s accounts shall be open to inspection by the Secretary of State and by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Comptroller and Auditor General may, under section 6 of the National Audit Act 1983, carry out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the recipient has used its resources.

Local authorities and schools shall provide information as may be required by the Secretary of State to determine whether they have complied with these conditions.

Variation

The basis for allocation of grant may be varied by the Secretary of State from that set out above if so requested by the local authority or setting.

Recovery of funding

If a local authority or setting fails to comply with the terms and conditions set out in this document, the Secretary of State may recover some or all of the secondary school support grant that has been allocated. This will be notified in writing to the local authority or school.

Recoveries will be made by invoice or by offsetting the amount against subsequent payments due from DfE.

If they become aware of any instance of error, suspected fraud or financial irregularity in the use of the funds, the recipient must notify DfE immediately by email at nsbp.secondaryschoolsupport@education.gov.uk.

Overpayments

If a school identifies that it has been overpaid, it must contact us to arrange repayment of the excess. Where we identify an overpayment, we may seek to recover the excess. The local authority or setting will be notified of this in writing.

Enquiries

For queries relating to these terms and conditions, contact: nsbp.secondaryschoolsupport@education.gov.uk.