Overview

The national school breakfast programme (NSBP) closedwill oncontinue 31until the end of the 2025 to 2026 academic year. 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.

Participating schools with primary-age pupils have been offered a place on the free breakfast club programme to start in September 2026. Schools participating in the NSBP with secondary-age pupils will also continue to be provided with support to an equivalent value of what they receive on the NSBP.

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 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.

Family Action contact details

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 3928 7228.

Continued support for schools post-programme closure

NSBP-participating schools with primary-age pupils

All NSBP schools with primary-age pupils werehave been offered a place on the free breakfast club programme fromstarting in September 2026. They can contact us for any further information or supportsupport. 

Detailed regardinginformation theabout freepayment breakfastallocations, clubmethodology, programme.grant conditions and reporting requirements is available.

NSBP-participating schools with secondary-age pupils

For the 2026 to 2027 academic year, NSBP schools with secondary-age pupils havewill beenreceive offered continued financial support from the Departmentdepartment forso Educationthat (DfE)they can continue to offer breakfast food to their pupils.pupils for the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

This support iswill be via a direct section 14 grant to schoolsschools. andAs haswith beenthe calculatedNSBP, fromthe previousdepartment spendwill onfund the75% programme,of basedfood onand DfE’sdelivery contributioncosts, ofcalculated 75%from ofprevious foodspend andon deliverythe costs.programme. Funding will be paid in 2 instalments. The first in the autumn term 20262026, and the second,second in arrears,arrears in autumn term 2027.

Schools should use their funding to cover cover:

• 75% of the cost of breakfast food and delivery for all pupils, at no cost to pupilsthem or their parents.parents
• breakfast Breakfast provision must adherecomply towith the school food standards.

Detailed information on the funding methodology and grant conditions is available. FinalGrant conditions and funding allocations will be published in earlythe Novemberautumn 2026.

Providing a healthy breakfast offer

Food served at breakfast will need to be compliant with the school food standards practical guide.

These food-based standards specify which types of food should be served at school and how often.

The standards define the foods and drinks that:

• must be provided
• are restricted
• must not be provided

They apply to food and drink provided to pupils on school premises and during an extended school day (up to 6pm), including breakfast clubs.

School food standards: practical guide and resources for schools has a checklist for school food other than at lunch. This sets out what should and should not be served across the school day, including at breakfast.

The government recentlyis consultedconsulting on proposed updates to the schoolSchool foodFood standardsStandards in England to ensure that all food served at school, including breakfasts and lunches, better reflect current nutritional guidance and support children’s health, wellbeing andhealth, learning.

Thewellbeing governmentand publishedlearning. itsThe response to the consultation inruns Septemberuntil 2026,12 andJune the2026. newFurther regulationsinformation will comebe intoprovided effect from September 2027.

The government will introduce separate standards for breakfast. Schools can use the guidance in schooldue food standards to help prepare for these changes.course.  

Breakfast examples

Starchy carbohydrates

Examples include:

• wheat bisks
• shredded wholewheat
• unsweetened puffed wheat
• no added sugar muesli
• plain porridge
• corn flakes
• rice pops
• higher fibre bread such as wholemeal and higher fibre white breads, fruit breads and crumpets

Low sugar, higher fibre cereals

Choose breakfast cereals with the lowest sugar content which are labelled as low (green on the front of pack nutrition label) in total sugar. No added sugar mueslis will not be green on the label because of the dried fruit, but these are still good to serve.

Sugar should not be available for adding to cereals.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables must be made available as part of a breakfast offer. These can be included in a variety of ways including:

• fresh
• dried fruit (with no added sugar) or canned in juice (not syrup) served with cereal, bread or yoghurt
• cooked mushrooms, tomatoes or baked beans (reduced sugar and salt) if schools opt for a hot breakfast offer

Aim to offer a variety of fruit or vegetables across the week.

Lower fat and lower sugar dairy

Dairy or plant-based products and foods can be served. This could be:

• a glass of semi-skimmed milk or plant-based drinks such as soya and oat
• milk or plant-based products provided for cereal
• lower fat no added sugar yoghurt or plant-based yoghurts

Fresh drinking water

Water should be readily available for pupils.

Foods high in fat, salt and sugar

These items are not permitted under the standards and must be avoided. This includes items such as:

• packaged cereal bars
• processed fruit bars
• pre-packaged croissants
• chocolate and chocolate coated products and confectionery

Food and drink to limit

Processed meat products such as sausages and bacon can only be served once a week in primary schools. This applies across the whole school day.

Pastry and deep-fried products can be served no more than twice a week. This applies across the whole school day.

Condiments and table sauces can only be served in portion sizes of:

• no more than 10g packets
• one teaspoonful

Sweet spreads should be reduced sugar and be served in portion sizes of:

• 20g packets
• one teaspoon

Procurement of food

Schools can choose how to source and deliver food as best meets their needs and in accordance with relevant public procurement legislation. There are a number of models that schools can consider, such as:

• sourcing food directly from suppliers, including breakfast club providers, partners or supermarkets or using an existing food supply contract
• utilising an existing catering contract or putting in place a new catering contract with a local authority or private catering company
• using a buying framework including from a public buying organisation or consortia

Schools may wish to use the sustainable procurement: the government buying standards for advice around sustainable sourcing.

Local authority catering services may also be able to support schools with delivery, potentially by varying existing lunch contracts to include breakfast provision.

Schools using a catering company or external provider to deliver the food aspect of their breakfast club will want to check that the company they are using is registered as a food business operator. This means they will receive a food hygiene rating and be inspected by food safety officers at regular intervals.

It is important that schools use reputable suppliers to supply and handle food safety.

Schools that do not have food business operator registration and choose to deliver the food offer using their own staff will need to register separately from other operators.

Food business registration has more information. The Food Standards Agency also have helpful guidance for food business operators in starting your food business safely.

Contact us

Support for participating schools with secondary-age pupils

AllEligible eligible schools withhave secondarybeen age pupils were contacted by email inand Mayare 2026 withinvited detailsto ofconfirm thetheir grantacceptance funding. of     

Grant conditions are available and final funding allocationsby will12 beJune published2026. inFor early November 2026. For any further queries, email email nsbp.secondaryschoolsupport@education.gov.uk.

Support for participating schools with primary-age pupils

Schools with primary-age pupils can contact us via the free breakfast clubs portal for information or support regarding the free breakfast club programme.