The Government aims to lift 550,000 children out of poverty by 2030 as it reveals its child poverty strategy today
Plans also include extending the eligibility for those on Universal Credit to receive upfront childcare costs when returning from parental leave and introducing a new legal duty on councils to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation
There is also an £8 million fund to stop families being kept in bed and breakfasts beyond the six-week limit.
The government will provide £950 million through the fourth and largest round of the Local Authority Housing Fund from April 2026 to deliver up to 5,000 high-quality homes for better temporary accommodation by 2030.
There will be help for families to buy more affordable infant formula. The cost of some infant formula brands has risen by 25% in two years, putting pressure on families who cannot or choose not to breastfeed. The government will set clear guidance for retailers that – together with allowing families to use loyalty points, vouchers, and gift cards to purchase formula – could save parents up to £540 in a baby’s first year and remove unnecessary barriers for low-income families.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
Every child deserves the best possible start in life, with their future no longer determined by the circumstances of their birth. Yet too many children are growing up in poverty, held back from getting on in life, and too many families are struggling without the basics: a secure home, warm meals, and the support they need to make ends meet.
I will not stand by and watch that happen, because the cost of doing nothing is too high for children, for families, and for Britain.
This is a moral mission for me. It’s about fairness, opportunity, and unlocking potential. Our strategy isn’t just about reversing the failures of the past, it sets a new course for national renewal, with children’s life chances at its heart.
