Issued by: Department for Education and Office of the Children's Commissioner

Cost-of-living measures become law, including free breakfast clubs, expanded free school meals and limits of branded uniforms

Families could see up to £1000 a year back in their pockets as measures to expand free school meals, roll out free breakfast clubs, and cut the cost of school uniform become law today (29 April 2026).

The government’s landmark Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act hard‑wires the government’s education priorities into law – delivering on manifesto promises to cut costs for families, protect vulnerable children, and drive higher standards from early years to adulthood.

From this September, schools will be required by law to cap the number of branded uniform items to three (excluding ties) and half a million more children will be eligible for free school meals. In addition, by September over 2,000 free breakfast clubs will be open, helping parents save money while ensuring children are fed, focused and ready to learn.

Alongside tangible cost of living measures to make families’ lives easier, the Act also represents the most ambitious piece of safeguarding legislation in a generation. Thanks to the Act, the most vulnerable children will be better protected by a care system that prioritises child safety over profit, takes action against illegal children’s homes, and gives Ofsted the powers to act against providers that fall short.

The Act underpins the government’s schools white paper, which sets out further action to halve the attainment gap between disadvantaged young people and their peers, including generational reforms for children with SEND to fix the broken system we inherited.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

"This landmark legislation fixes the foundations in our schools, puts money back into parents’ pockets, and provides critical new protections for our most vulnerable children.

"From lifting the two-child limit to transforming the life chances of children with SEND, this government is already making strides to cut the link between background and success.

"These new laws are another major milestone in our mission to make sure every child – wherever they grow up and go to school – has the opportunity to succeed."

New safeguarding measures will mean better information sharing and earlier intervention from social services will ensure no child falls through the cracks. The long-called for new Single Unique Identifier, being piloted now, will ensure that children are always visible to local services. This is backed by a new duty to share information regarding the safety and welfare of children, which will help to prevent tragic cases like those of Sara Sharif or Nonita Grabovskyte.

New Children Not in School registers will mean every child is visible to local authorities and receiving a safe, suitable education – including those who are being educated at home. Every local authority will hold a register of children in their community.

The government has long been clear that mobile phones have no place in schools, and through the Act, all schools will be required to follow that guidance, giving teachers and parents clarity and consistency across the country. In addition, a new power will allow the government to act quickly on findings from the ongoing Children’s Digital Wellbeing consultation.

The legislation will also help deliver the government’s drive to raise school standards. Multi-academy trusts will have dedicated inspections for the first time, and trusts will be required to follow the national curriculum and national teacher pay and conditions.

A new admissions framework will also ensure the right school places are available in the right areas, while the independent Schools Adjudicator will be able to intervene where local agreement breaks down, always guided by parental preference and school quality.

Further measures in the Act include:

• Corporate parenting duty extended to public sector bodies so they account for the needs of care-experienced young people in their policies and give support where they can

• Children to benefit from additional employment opportunities

• Regional Care Co-operatives to enable councils to place children in care closer to home

• Sibling relationships given equal status with parental relationships for children in care, enabling them to maintain contact

• Staying Close support extended to all councils, giving care leavers a vital support network up to age 25

• Life-saving allergy pens to be stocked by schools for the first time

Frank Young, Chief Executive of Parentkind said:

"Millions of parents are struggling with added school costs like expensive school uniform. Rising costs are hitting everyone hard, but parents have school costs they have no option but to pay. The Act will make a difference to these parents by tackling the cost of living and putting limits on expensive uniform items. This will help struggling parents, including many on middle incomes too.

"Free breakfast clubs and cheaper uniforms will help parents and tackle some of the extra costs that make life more difficult for parents. Getting more breakfast clubs going helps parents to hold down a job and get kids to school."

Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said:

"The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act is a significant step towards a more joined up, child-centred approach to children’s social care, education and safety.

"I have long called for many of the measures included in the legislation like a single unique identifier for children and stronger protections to keep siblings together in care.

"Vitally, it will strengthen safeguarding protections for children, particularly those who, as tragically happened to Sara Sharif, face being removed from school despite serious safeguarding concerns.

"This Act will bring about welcome change, but the true test will be how quickly and effectively these reforms are delivered for children who have been let down for too long. The government must be ambitious in their implementation of the Act so these measures have a tangible impact on children’s lives as soon as possible."

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