Opinion: Labour’s mission to give our children the ‘Best Start in Life’

It’s back to school season for children across Luton South and South Bedfordshire, and back to Parliament for MPs after a busy Summer Recess out and about in the constituency.

The Labour government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity for young people—ensuring that no child’s future is limited by their background—and supporting working parents to give their children the best possible start.

We’ve inherited a system weakened by years of underinvestment, but through our Best Start in Life campaign, we’re taking action to ensure every child receives the care, education, and opportunities they deserve.

From this September, working parents can now access 30 hours of funded childcare, saving up to £7,500 per child each year. This marks the largest ever expansion of government-funded childcare, delivering real cost of living support and putting money back into the pockets of working parents.

To deliver this, Labour has announced the next wave of 300 new or expanded school-based nurseries. These will make early years childcare more accessible and the transition to school seamless, ensuring more children than ever are school-ready and helping close the gap in early years development.

The Best Start in Life campaign is a comprehensive approach to improving our children’s education, combining early years support with initiatives in schools, including the rollout of free breakfast clubs, with schools like Denbigh Primary and Someries Infant becoming early adopters of these schemes.

As well as this, from September 2026 we will have expanded access to free school meals to all households receiving Universal Credit. This is set to reach over half a million children, including up to 8,500 in Luton South and South Bedfordshire.

These measures will offer vital support to families, ensuring children have the environment they need to thrive at school. The government is delivering on its mission to break the link between a child’s background and what they can go on to achieve.

To find out more about early years support, visit https://www.beststartinlife.gov.uk/