Families across Southport will see the cost of going to school slashed even further from September, as Labour confirms caps on branded uniforms and more free breakfast clubs.
Parents at 1,400 more schools nationwide will save up to £450 through free breakfast clubs from September, when more than 2,700 will be up and running. It means Labour has smashed its target of adding 2,000 schools to the programme this year. Over 680,000 children will attend them after the summer holidays – up from 300,000 today.
In Southport, both Linaker Primary School and Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School have been chosen to hold government-funded free breakfast clubs. Mr Hurley recently visited Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School twice: first to see its existing part-government-funded breakfast club, and later alongside former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to discuss how the government could better support parents and pupils.
Best Start free breakfast clubs are already delivering cumulative savings of nearly £25million to families by serving up over 10 million free breakfasts and five million hours of childcare unlocked. For a family using their club every day that’s worth up to £450 and 95 hours a year, or nearly two working weeks back on the morning juggle. Children arrive more settled, fed and ready to learn from the moment the school day begins.
From September, schools in Southport must comply with the new legal limits on the number of branded uniform items they can require. It means parents can buy more of the everyday basics, like trousers and shirts, from any shop or supermarket rather than one pricey supplier. It comes after polling found a third of parents still worry about uniform costs.
The Labour government is also publishing strengthened statutory guidance today telling schools to take more steps to bring down the cost of individual items, especially for more expensive items like blazers and jumpers, in time for the 2027 school year. The Conservatives and Reform UK deemed the cost-saving measure ‘interference’ – though Patrick Hurley maintains this was welcome interference to save local families money.
Taken together, heading back to school under Labour is now set to be almost £1,000 cheaper for many families. A child could benefit from up to £450 a year through a free breakfast club and up to £500 a year through the expansion of free school meals to every household on Universal Credit – on top of cheaper uniform as the new branded-item limit bites.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:
“No parent should have to choose between a summer day out to the beach and kitting their child out for school.
“From September, families will feel the difference at the school gates: free breakfast clubs at 1,400 more schools, an end to expensive lists of branded uniform, and more free lunches for those who need them.
“That’s the British childhood this government believes in – and why we’ll always fight to give every child the very best start in life.”
MP for Southport and the Northern Parishes said:
“I’ve been working with the Labour Government to bring Best Start free breakfast clubs to schools across Southport, and I’m delighted that Linaker Primary School and Bishop David Sheppard Church of England Primary School will benefit from this expansion.
“It will save local families money when they need it most and will mean every child, no matter their background, can feel the benefits of a nutritious breakfast before school.
“Alongside welcome action to reduce the cost of school uniform, Labour is cutting the cost of getting children into school so they can access the brilliant education they deserve.”
Today’s announcement builds on the biggest ever expansion of funded childcare, with Labour’s rollout now saving families using their full 30 hours an average of £8,000 a year per child – with more than 548,000 codes validated by parents for the working parent entitlement in spring 2026.
Ahead of the new school year, Labour is making it easier for all families to enjoy the weekend treats, days out and day trips over the summer with the government’s Great British Summer Saving scheme. From 25 June to 1 September, VAT has been cut on children’s meals in restaurants, children’s and family tickets for theatres and cinemas, and tickets for family attractions, alongside free bus travel for children aged five to 15 in England throughout August. This is part of the government’s work to ease the cost of living, including action to take £117 off household energy bills, freezing rail fares and prescription charges, and increasing the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.
A consultation on early years funding, published today, will also set out plans to tackle the postcode lottery holding some children back. Labour is setting out proposals that will mean councils pass more funding for disadvantaged two-year-olds directly to nurseries and childminders.
Families will also feel the difference at their local Best Start Family Hub – the one-stop shops where parents can find everything from stay-and-play sessions to health visitors and parenting advice. Backed by over £900 million, more than 200 are already open on the way to up to 1,000 by 2028.
To drive that ambition forward, Labour is today launching the Best Start Improvement Coalition – bringing together business, charities and social investors to ensure every hub delivers for the families who need it most.