Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide support to families with (1) children in early years, and (2) school-age children, in poverty.

The Child Poverty Taskforce will publish a fully funded strategy this autumn, tackling the root causes of poverty across four themes: increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, boosting financial resilience, and strengthening local support, especially in the early years.

Family hubs offer vital services from birth to age 19, or to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities; supporting health, education, and wellbeing, particularly for families in poverty. In 2025/26, £126 million will be invested through family hubs and Start for Life to give every child the best start in life.

An additional £57 million for the Start for Life services was announced in January, covering mental health, infant feeding, breastfeeding, and access to local services.

Early education support includes 15 funded hours for disadvantaged 2-year-olds and all 3 and 4-year-olds. A 45% uplift to the Early Years Pupil Premium was announced in December 2024 to improve outcomes.

Through the Spending Review, the government is expanding free school meals, which are expected to lift 100,000 children out of poverty, and has committed to free breakfast clubs and limiting branded school uniform requirements specifically for school aged children.