Guidance

National school breakfast club programme

Support for school breakfast club provision.

Applies to England

Overview

The national school breakfast programme (NSBP) will continue for the 2025 to 2026 academic year for participating schools. Further applications to join the programme will not be accepted, and the programme will end in July 2026.

For the academic year 2025 to 2026, all participating NSBP schools will continue to receive a 75% subsidy for the food and delivery costs of breakfast club provision, with schools contributing 25% of costs. All pupils in participating schools must be offered breakfast supplies at no cost to them or their parents.

From the start of the academic year 2026 to 2027, participating schools with primary-aged pupils will be offered a place on the free breakfast club programme to start in September 2026.  NSBP participating schools with secondary-aged pupils will also continue to be provided with support, to an equivalent value of what they receive on the NSBP. Further details on this will follow in spring term 2026.

School eligibility

Participating schools are in disadvantaged areas with 40% or more pupils in bands A-F of the income deprivation affecting children index (IDACI). This includes state-funded primary, secondary, special schools and alternative provision.

Types of food

All breakfast products offered through the programme meet the school food standards. Schools will be able to choose and order the food products and quantities they need for their pupils.

The supplier for this contract, Family Action, sources and delivers breakfast food products to participating schools.

Contact

Further information for participating schools is available on the Family Action website.

If you are already an NSBP participating school and need help, email info@schoolbreakfast.org.uk or call 020 39287228.

Updates to this page

Published 24 November 2022
Last updated 20 November 2025 show all updates
  1. Updated the guidance to reflect the national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

  2. Updated to reflect that the national school breakfast programme will continue for the 2025 to 2026 academic year.

  3. Updated to reflect participating schools will receive the subsidy until the end of July 2025.

  4. Added information about the waiting list for schools that express an interest in the National school breakfast club programme.

  5. First published.

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