£126 Million Boost for UK Families 2025: The UK government has announced a substantial investment of £126 million to provide families across England with essential early childhood services. This initiative aims to support parents and children during critical early years, particularly in areas with high levels of deprivation. The funding aligns with the government’s “Plan for Change” and focuses on improving mental health, infant feeding, and early childhood development.
Key Highlights of the Investment
Supporting Families in High-Need Areas
Out of the £126 million, £57 million will be allocated to 75 local authorities by 2025-26. These funds will directly benefit families with children aged from pregnancy to two years. The breakdown includes:
- £36.5 million to promote mental health support and early bonding between parents and infants.
- £18.5 million to enhance breastfeeding support and infant feeding services.
- £2 million to help families access Start for Life services and include parents in service design.
Expansion of Family Hubs
This funding builds on the £69 million announced in the Autumn Budget for establishing family hubs. These hubs act as one-stop centers where families can access services such as:
- Parenting classes
- Perinatal mental health support
- Infant feeding advice
Currently, there are over 400 family hubs in England, offering tailored services that address local community needs.
Addressing Early Childhood Challenges
Bridging the Development Gap
The early years of a child’s life are critical for their health, education, and overall development. Unfortunately, over 80% of parents report difficulties accessing essential services, contributing to developmental delays. Issues include:
- One-third of children starting school unable to dress independently.
- 90% of reception teachers encountering at least one child who is not toilet trained.
Comprehensive Early Support
The Family Hubs and Start for Life programmes aim to tackle these challenges by providing integrated maternity, baby, and family support services. By 2028, the government aims for 75% of five-year-olds to reach a good level of development in the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment.
Broader Goals and Long-Term Impact
Closing the Opportunity Gap
The investment underscores the government’s mission to ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background. Improved early years services are expected to generate £45.5 billion for the national economy and create a healthier generation.
Enhancing Community Care
As part of its vision for an NHS “fit for the future,” the government is shifting care closer to communities. This move not only addresses health inequalities but also reduces the burden on hospitals.
Voices Supporting the Initiative
Government and Industry Leaders
- Andrew Gwynne, Minister for Public Health and Prevention:
“This crucial investment lays a strong foundation to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.” - Janet Daby, Minister for Children and Families:
“Through our Plan for Change, we’re committed to supporting families and ensuring children are ready for school.” - Anna Feuchtwang, CEO, National Children’s Bureau:
“This funding is a much-needed step towards achieving the government’s ambitions for early childhood.”
This transformative investment in early childhood services reflects a commitment to building healthier, more equitable communities. By improving access to critical resources, strengthening family bonds, and promoting child development, the government aims to create a brighter future for children and families across England. These efforts not only address immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for long-term societal and economic benefits.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The 75 local authorities receiving family hubs and Start for Life programme funding are as follows, categorised by region:
- East of England: Bedford; Luton; Norfolk; Peterborough; Thurrock
- London: Barking and Dagenham; Brent; Camden; Croydon; Enfield; Greenwich; Hackney; Haringey; Hounsow; Islington; Lambeth; Lewisham; Newham; Southwark; Tower Hamlets; Waltham Forest
- South East: East Sussex; Isle of Wight; Kent; Medway; Portsmouth; Southampton
- North East: County Duram; Gateshead; Hartlepool; Middlesborough; Newcastle upon Tyne; Northumberland; Redcar and Cleveland; South Tyneside; Sunderland
- North West: Blackburn with Darwen; Blackpool; Bolton; Halton; Knowsley; Liverpool; Manchester; Oldham; Rochdale; Salford; St. Helens; Tameside
- Yorkshire and The Humber: Barnsley; Bradford; Calderdale; Doncaster; Kingston upon Hull, City of; North East Lincolnshire; North Lincolnshire; Rotherham; Sheffield; Wakefield
- East Midlands: Derby; Leicester; Lincolnshire; North Northamptonshire; Nottingham
- West Midlands: Birmingham; Coventry; Dudley; Sandwell; Stoke-on-Trent; Telford and Wrekin; Walsall; Wolverhampton
- South West: Bristol, City of; Cornwall; Plymouth; Torbay
The Autumn Budget announced £69 million from the Department for Education for a network of family hubs. Of this, the department will provide approximately £53 million in grant payments to the 75 local authorities on the family hubs and Start for Life programme, consisting of:
- £22.4m for Family Hubs programme and capital funding to consolidate and enhance family hubs and services;
- £20m for parenting support services to enhance support for expectant parents and those with babies aged 0-2, focusing on promoting bonding and attachment;
- £10.7m for Home Learning Environment (HLE) services to train practitioners in evidence-based interventions, helping parents create rich home learning environments to support early child development;
- The remaining approximately £16 million will be used to support the delivery of a network of family hubs.
- The Start for Life programme has embedded this multicomponent approach to improve infant feeding services. Local authorities are using programme investment to strengthen existing support and introduce new offers to help parents access face-to-face and virtual infant feeding support whenever they need it and in a location that suits them.
- This includes one-to-one support in hospital wards; proactive offer of support in the immediate post-natal period; peer support in the community and virtually; and training staff to identify complex issues like tongue-tie early.
The figures below are provisional funding allocations that the 75 programme local authorities will be eligible to receive for the financial year 2025-26. Final figures will be confirmed in due course.
| Local Authority | Total |
|---|---|
| Hartlepool | £939,800 |
| Middlesbrough | £1,102,500 |
| Redcar and Cleveland | £1,010,100 |
| Halton | £1,007,900 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | £1,131,800 |
| Blackpool | £1,038,900 |
| Kingston upon Hull, City of | £1,375,500 |
| North East Lincolnshire | £1,056,700 |
| North Lincolnshire | £1,071,500 |
| Derby | £1,338,300 |
| Leicester | £1,637,100 |
| Nottingham | £1,460,300 |
| Telford and Wrekin | £1,159,300 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | £1,357,600 |
| Bristol, City of | £1,718,900 |
| Plymouth | £1,251,600 |
| Torbay | £965,700 |
| Peterborough | £1,290,600 |
| Luton | £1,402,900 |
| Thurrock | £1,209,000 |
| Medway | £1,415,000 |
| Portsmouth | £1,177,300 |
| Southampton | £1,280,800 |
| Isle of Wight | £956,600 |
| County Durham | £1,684,300 |
| Cornwall | £1,716,500 |
| Bedford | £1,168,000 |
| Northumberland | £1,281,300 |
| North Northamptonshire | £1,519,400 |
| Bolton | £1,474,000 |
| Manchester | £2,115,300 |
| Oldham | £1,381,400 |
| Rochdale | £1,311,300 |
| Salford | £1,423,900 |
| Tameside | £1,251,800 |
| Knowsley | £1,130,600 |
| Liverpool | £1,769,900 |
| St. Helens | £1,115,800 |
| Barnsley | £1,257,000 |
| Doncaster | £1,419,300 |
| Rotherham | £1,322,100 |
| Sheffield | £1,911,100 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | £1,376,200 |
| South Tyneside | £1,034,200 |
| Sunderland | £1,294,000 |
| Birmingham | £3,664,300 |
| Coventry | £1,583,700 |
| Dudley | £1,441,000 |
| Sandwell | £1,619,700 |
| Walsall | £1,449,400 |
| Wolverhampton | £1,422,800 |
| Bradford | £2,134,200 |
| Calderdale | £1,166,600 |
| Wakefield | £1,505,200 |
| Gateshead | £1,129,100 |
| Barking and Dagenham | £1,417,600 |
| Brent | £1,576,400 |
| Camden | £1,143,000 |
| Croydon | £1,709,000 |
| Enfield | £1,535,700 |
| Greenwich | £1,472,500 |
| Hackney | £1,385,700 |
| Haringey | £1,330,600 |
| Hounslow | £1,443,400 |
| Islington | £1,177,200 |
| Lambeth | £1,342,400 |
| Lewisham | £1,440,400 |
| Newham | £1,744,100 |
| Southwark | £1,379,100 |
| Tower Hamlets | £1,486,800 |
| Waltham Forest | £1,476,800 |
| East Sussex | £1,686,800 |
| Kent | £4,099,400 |
| Lincolnshire | £2,103,000 |
| Norfolk | £2,343,500 |
FAQ
What is the purpose of the £126M funding?
The £126M funding aims to improve early childhood development by supporting families with mental health services, infant care, and parenting resources.
What services are provided under the Start for Life programme?
The programme offers mental health support, infant feeding advice, parenting classes, and early childhood development services for families with children aged 0-2.
Who can access the family hubs?
Family hubs are available to expectant parents, carers of children aged 0-19 (or up to 25 for children with special needs), and young people up to 25 with disabilities.
Which areas are prioritised for this funding?
The funding prioritises 75 local authorities across England, focusing on areas with high levels of deprivation to support disadvantaged families.
How will this initiative benefit children?
It aims to close the development gap by improving access to critical early childhood services, ensuring more children are ready for school and lifelong success.
