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Parents open up over stigma surrounding free breakfast clubs

Labour have said their commitment to delivering free breakfast clubs in primary schools will save parents more than £400 a year and cut almost half a million days of school absence (David Parry/PA) — Labour have said their commitment to delivering free breakfast clubs in primary schools will save parents more than £400 a year and cut almost half a million days of school absence (David Parry/PA) (PA Archive)

Labour has pledged to eliminate the stigma associated with claiming free government support for children, coinciding with the rollout of hundreds of new universal free breakfast clubs.
New polling reveals that lower-income and single parents are more likely to feel guilty or wary of stigma when utilising government-funded support, such as breakfast clubs.
Specifically, 38 per cent of single parents and nearly half of parents earning under £15,000 expressed these concerns, in contrast to only 19 per cent of higher earners.
More than half of parents surveyed indicated they would be more inclined to use government support if it were universally available rather than labelled for those 'in need'.
The government is expanding the programme, with over 1,250 free breakfast clubs expected to be operational by April and a further 1,500 opening by September, potentially saving parents up to £450 annually.

Lower income and single parents ‘more wary of stigma’ around free breakfast clubs — In full