We want families to access the childcare support they need and get help with the cost of childcare, so that parents can work and children have the best start in life. We are rolling out free breakfast clubs across the country to support families with work choices and tackle the costs of wraparound childcare. From September 2026 more than 1,400 more schools will be running free breakfast clubs, saving parents up to £450 a year. This includes three free breakfast clubs in Slough, alongside more than 2,700 in total across England.

The government continues to support wraparound and holiday provision, including providing £12.9 million to local authorities this financial year to support school-age childcare, and more than £600m over three years to deliver the Holiday Activities and Food programme.

The Coram Childcare Survey 2025 assessed the average price of an after-school club for a week as £66.48. To help with affordability, eligible parents can access support with childcare costs through Tax-Free Childcare, Universal Credit Childcare and The Flexible Support Fund.

The government is committed to improving access to childcare for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

This financial year, the department has provided £12.9 million to strengthen local authorities’ capacity to meet their legal duty to secure sufficient school-age childcare, including inclusive provision for children with SEND.

The government is rolling out free breakfast clubs to all primary-aged pupils in England, including those with SEND. Special schools are funded at a higher rate of £18.95 per day plus £3.23 per pupil per days.

Our holiday activities and food programme funds local authorities to provide free holiday club places for pupils meeting FSM eligibility and should ensure high-quality provision is available for eligible children with SEND. Local authorities can use up to 15% of funding flexibly to extend the offer to other children, including those with SEND.

Following the launch of the national wraparound childcare programme in September 2024, over 105,000 places were made available by November 2025, supporting more families to access the childcare they need. The department does not hold delivery data broken down to constituency level.

It is for local authorities, under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996, to arrange and fund suitable education for children of compulsory school age who, because of exclusion, illness or other reasons, may otherwise not receive suitable education. Local authorities are required to arrange alternative provision for a permanently excluded child as soon as possible, and at the latest by the sixth school day of the child’s absence.

In 2025/26, this government plans to spend over £8 billion on early years entitlements, increasing to over £9 billion in 2026/27, and we have increased the early years pupil premium by over 45%. On top of this we have provided further supplementary funding of £75 million for the Early Years Expansion Grant.

At Spending Review 2025, the government announced it will provide an additional £1.6 billion per year by 2028/29. We will also spend over £400 million over the next four years to deliver school-based nurseries across England.

The free breakfast clubs programme has delivered more than 5 million breakfasts and offered places to almost 180,000 pupils across the country. We are investing a further £80 million into the programme to fund an additional 2,000 schools between April 2026 and March 2027. Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has also provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places. In 2026/27, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million to sustain these places, ensuring sufficiency of school-age childcare and supporting national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

This government is investing in a modern childcare system that supports families. When developing our programmes, we look at previous schemes, including internationally, as well as receiving representations from families and providers.

In February 2024, 24% of parents of primary-aged pupils reported that the availability of wraparound childcare affected the working patterns or hours of their household. The government is committed to rolling out free breakfast clubs in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts in 750 early adopter schools and an additional 2,000 schools will join the programme next year.

Since September 2024, the National Wraparound Programme has provided over 50,000 additional full childcare places, allowing more parents to access opportunities for work and study. In the 2026/27 financial year, we are providing local authorities with £12.9 million of funding to continue to sustain these places to ensure sufficiency of school-age childcare and facilitate national rollout of free breakfast clubs.

Eligible parents can access government subsidies, such as Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit Childcare, to support them with their childcare costs.

This government is rolling out free breakfast clubs in all primary schools, with £80 million funding available from April 2026 to bring free breakfast clubs to an additional 2,000 schools. It builds on the more than £30 million the department has invested this year to test and learn free breakfast clubs in 750 early adopter schools.

In addition, since September last year more than 50,000 new before and after school places have been delivered in schools to help working families, with more expected before March 2026. We are working with local authorities, schools, and childcare providers on the next phase with a focus on sustaining childcare places, expanding provision where there is demand, and strengthening the childcare market overall.

The government is committed to deliver on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children.

Breakfast clubs give pupils a supportive start to the school day, leading to improvements in behaviour, concentration, attendance and attainment. Since April 2025, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts and offered places to almost 180,000 pupils across the country.

Following the success of the early adopters, as the first phase of national rollout, we are investing a further £80 million into the programme to fund around 2000 additional schools between April 2026 and March 2027. This will benefit around 500,000 more children.

As well as the benefits to children, the availability of breakfast clubs will give parents and carers the confidence that their child can access a breakfast should they need one. This supports families to work and with the cost of childcare. Parents are expected to gain up to 95 hours back over the academic year, when utilising the breakfast club offer, saving up to £450 per year.

​​This government is committed to providing a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children. So far, we have delivered 2.6 million breakfasts and offered places to almost 180,000 pupils across the country. Following the success of the early adopters, and as the first phase of national rollout, we are investing a further £80 million into the programme to fund an additional 2,000 schools between April 2026 and March 2027. Since September 2024, over 50,000 additional full childcare places have also been made available to families through the National Wraparound Programme. ​

The department’s vision is for a modern childcare system for parents of school age children that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive for all families from the day children start primary school, no matter where they live in the country or what days or hours they work. Officials are working closely with local authorities, schools and providers to develop this.

This will build on existing programmes such as the National Wraparound Childcare programme, the Holiday Activities and Food programme and Free Universal Breakfast clubs to ensure families are supported.

The government is also delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with 750 early adopters. Additionally, the department recently confirmed investment of over £600 million to make Best Start Holiday Activities and Food Clubs available for the next three years.

The department’s vision is for a modern childcare system for parents of school age children that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive for all families from the day children start primary school, no matter where they live in the country or what days or hours they work. Officials are working closely with local authorities, schools and providers to develop this.

This will build on existing programmes such as the National Wraparound Childcare programme, the Holiday Activities and Food programme and Free Universal Breakfast clubs to ensure families are supported.

The government is also delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with 750 early adopters. Additionally, the department recently confirmed investment of over £600 million to make Best Start Holiday Activities and Food Clubs available for the next three years.

The department’s vision is for a modern childcare system for parents of school age children that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive for all families from the day children start primary school, no matter where they live in the country or what days or hours they work. Officials are working closely with local authorities, schools and providers to develop this.

This will build on existing programmes such as the National Wraparound Childcare programme, the Holiday Activities and Food programme and Free Universal Breakfast clubs to ensure families are supported.

The government is also delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with 750 early adopters. Additionally, the department recently confirmed investment of over £600 million to make Best Start Holiday Activities and Food Clubs available for the next three years.

The department’s vision is for a modern childcare system for parents of school age children that is high quality, affordable, accessible and inclusive for all families from the day children start primary school, no matter where they live in the country or what days or hours they work. Officials are working closely with local authorities, schools and providers to develop this.

This will build on existing programmes such as the National Wraparound Childcare programme, the Holiday Activities and Food programme and Free Universal Breakfast clubs to ensure families are supported.

The government is also delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state-funded school with primary-aged children, starting with 750 early adopters. Additionally, the department recently confirmed investment of over £600 million to make Best Start Holiday Activities and Food Clubs available for the next three years.

The department has made no specific assessment of the impact of Ofsted qualification requirements on the sustainability of rural after school childcare providers. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department and include qualification requirements for after-school childcare providers. Officials meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare, including the qualifications requirements for staff, remain fit for purpose.

Providers are responsible for considering the staff qualification and training requirements for the running of their after-school provision in line with Ofsted requirements. This means providers have the flexibility to design their own approach to staffing their provision and ensuring it remains sustainable.

The department has made no specific assessment of the impact of Ofsted qualification requirements on the sustainability of rural after school childcare providers. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department and include qualification requirements for after-school childcare providers. Officials meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare, including the qualifications requirements for staff, remain fit for purpose.

Providers are responsible for considering the staff qualification and training requirements for the running of their after-school provision in line with Ofsted requirements. This means providers have the flexibility to design their own approach to staffing their provision and ensuring it remains sustainable.

The department has made no specific assessment of the impact of Ofsted qualification requirements on the sustainability of rural after school childcare providers. Before and after-school clubs can register with Ofsted on either or both the Early Years Register and the General Childcare Register, depending on the type of provision and age of the children they intend to care for. Some providers are exempt from registration if they meet the exemptions set out in legislation. Depending on their registration, they must either meet the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage, or the general childcare register requirements. The requirements for both registers are set by the department and include qualification requirements for after-school childcare providers. Officials meet regularly with their Ofsted counterparts to ensure that the regulations that apply to Ofsted registered providers of after-school childcare, including the qualifications requirements for staff, remain fit for purpose.

Providers are responsible for considering the staff qualification and training requirements for the running of their after-school provision in line with Ofsted requirements. This means providers have the flexibility to design their own approach to staffing their provision and ensuring it remains sustainable.

All children and families should be able to access the benefits of wraparound care around the school day and term time. This is why the department is investing in new free universal breakfast clubs and new and expanded before and after school places through the wraparound childcare programme, alongside the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.

Under the Equality Act 2010, schools and providers of wraparound and holiday care must make reasonable adjustments for children with disabilities and medical conditions. In addition, section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions.

The department’s guidance on wraparound, breakfast clubs and HAF programmes is clear that schools and providers should be aware of any medical requirements of pupils and encourages providers to review the ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ statutory guidance, which can be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf. Although the duty does not extend to out of school setting providers, this guidance contains information that may be useful in considering how to best support children with medical conditions.

Schools have the discretion to identify the most appropriate workforce to deliver their breakfast and after school clubs, depending on their school’s context, existing staff contracts and arrangements and the mix of skills and experience required.

The department does not collect data on the number of breakfast and after school clubs run by volunteers, however these clubs can be led by various individuals, including teachers, teaching assistants, school catering staff, volunteers such as parents or others specifically hired to deliver the role. As such, the department has not made any specific assessment of the sustainability of breakfast and after school clubs that rely on volunteers.