Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the cost of (a) living and (b) housing on the number of families choosing to have a child.

We know increased costs in essential areas worrying and cause hardship and hardship for many families with children. The Government is taking a comprehensive approach—providing support while addressing the structural changes necessary to fix the country's foundations.

We are supporting families with everyday costs, including an uplift of over £1.6 billion per year by 2028-29 for government-funded childcare, rolling out Best Start Family Hubs to every LA in England, and extending Free School Meals eligibility to all children in England with a parent receiving Universal Credit.

The Government has also extended the Household Support Fund in England which helps households facing the greatest hardship with the cost of essentials such as food, energy and water. At the Spending Review, we committed to continue investing in crisis support to enable a new Crisis and Resilience Fund, including support for housing costs and to fund councils to support some of the poorest households so that their children do not go hungry outside of term time. We also funded the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation through the Affordable Homes Programme.