• Labour government pushes ahead with Plan for Change with ‘best start in life’ objective
• Comes as new research reveals over 30,000 primary school children in Manchester could benefit from free breakfast clubs

Families in Manchester Withington will soon be able to access quality before-school childcare ahead as Labour pushes ahead with Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill to roll out free breakfast clubs across the country.

It comes as new research reveals that over 30,000 primary school children in Manchester could benefit from free breakfast clubs, boosting their attendance, attainment, readiness to learn, wellbeing and behaviour. In addition, the clubs are set to support parents to work the jobs and hours they choose, less restricted by school drop-offs and saving them money on childcare.

This follows the Second Reading of Labour’s Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill, new legislation to ensure children and families have access to a free breakfast club at their local primary school. Ministers have kick-started the programme through an early adopter scheme, with applications having opened in November 2024 and rollout being delivered from April 2025.

Funding was provided at Labour’s Budget to fix the foundations and deliver change, which tripled investment in breakfast clubs to over £33 million.

The breakfast clubs form part of Labour’s mission to break the unfair link between background and opportunity. The Labour government has pledged to get a record proportion of children school-ready – hitting key targets on personal, social and physical development as well as communication, literacy and maths.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

“Breakfast clubs boost parents’ work choices as well as children’s life chances, they are integral to this government’s mission to break down the barriers to opportunity so where you come from doesn’t determine where you end up in life.

“From helping with flexible working for families, to improving behaviour and attendance, the supportive start to the day that breakfast clubs provide will help drive high and rising standards for every child.

“This Labour government has a Plan for Change that will give children growing up in our country the best start in life.”

Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington, said:

“Through my many visits to the schools in Manchester Withington, I’ve learnt just how valuable breakfast clubs can be for families in here and across the country, boosting attendance and attainment as well as keeping money in parents’ pockets.”

“That’s why it’s a shame these clubs were only available in one in ten schools under the Conservatives. Labour will make them available to every child.”

The Labour government’s wider funded wraparound childcare offer – for all primary children to be able to access childcare between 8am-6pm – continues to roll out across the country.

Labour is also developing an ambitious strategy to reduce child poverty and give children the best start in life, which will be published in Spring 2025. The Taskforce led by the Work and Pensions Secretary and Education Secretary are looking at all available levers across government to drive forward short-term and long-term actions to reduce child poverty.