Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is urging Devon schools to provide “game changing” free breakfast clubs for children as a way of tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
In an exclusive interview with DevonLive, the prime minister said the Labour Government’s initiative was a vital cog in the fight to save families cash and ease the burden on parents.
Mr Starmer said that at a time when his Government – and his leadership – is coming under intense scrutiny, battling the cost-of-living crisis was a priority.
And he said that it was a personal mission too, revealing his family often struggled to make ends meet when he was growing up.
The PM told Devon Live: “The cost of living is one of the most important things to me and this Government, it’s bearing down on people struggling to make ends meet.
“When I was growing up the family could not always pay the bills. It’s a personal mission and that’s why I’m fronting this rollout, and to make sure Devon gets its allocation so these schools can provide a game-changer.”
The Government has described the free breakfast clubs run in primary schools as “a lifeline for families”, giving them flexibility and precious hours back on busy mornings, while helping ensure every child gets a nutritious start to the day.
They are described as a crucial part of how the Government is delivering national renewal.
Already 27 Devon schools, including in Plymouth, are enrolled and delivering the first free clubs via the “test and learn” phase of the programme.
But from today (Thursday, November 20), applications will open for the first 500 schools to join the national rollout which begins from April 2026.
The PM said that there are 20 Devon schools eligible to take part and join the 27 “early adopters” in what he described as a “game-changer for children”
Mr Starmer said: “We want to encourage them to apply to the scheme. In Devon we have proved the concept and are grateful to the 27 schools already running it, but there is now a big push to get another tranche in.”
He stressed: “We are doing a massive push on the next stage of breakfast clubs, that’s important for children, a good breakfast meal gives them a better chance in terms of learning, and it’s better for parents and carers, they can get off to work, and it saves hundreds of pounds for parents.”
He added: “It’s a few hundred pounds for parents, and being able to drop off earlier and get to work earlier, which makes a big difference in terms of holding down a job and getting maximum income.”
Priority will go to schools with the highest proportion of pupils on free school meals, ensuring support reaches those who need it most.
The clubs are backed by an extra £80m of investment, which means funding for mainstream schools will rise to £1 per child a day, supporting a variety of healthy meals.
The Government said that free breakfast clubs save parents up to £450 a year and give back 95 hours of time – more than two and a half working weeks.
Latest polling shows 38% of parents struggle to provide a healthy breakfast, with time and fussy eating the biggest barriers.
During the “test and learn” phase, more than five million free breakfasts have already been served nationally in 750 schools taking part, with the Government stressing this ensures a child’s background is never a barrier to opportunity.
And it said that changing morning routines boosts attendance, attainment and life chances – proven to add two months’ progress in maths, reading and writing for five – to seven-year-olds.
Mr Starmer told DevonLive that the free breakfast club scheme was part of a package of important cost-of-living measures designed to help families.
He said free childcare in pre-school is worth “several thousand pounds for parents that would otherwise pay for childcare” and added: “We have set out measures to keep down the cost of uniforms, free school meals, childcare, and what we are doing with the minimum wage and keeping bills down.”
