Supporting families is one of my main priorities.
Every child deserves the best start in life, but after 14 years of Tory austerity, too many families were left struggling to make ends meet.
Since the election, I’ve been working to make life easier for families across our area. I’ve secured 7 free breakfast clubs, 2 school-based nurseries and 3 Best Start Family Hubs, with more support on the way.
Nationally, Labour has doubled free childcare from 15 to 30 hours a week, expanded free school meals and introduced free breakfast clubs, helping families with the costs they face every day.
Making everyday life more affordable is also a key priority. We’ve frozen rail fares and prescription charges, protected motorists from fuel duty rises and taken action to bring energy bills down.
And there is more support coming. From October, VAT will be removed from household electricity bills, saving the average household around £45 a year. The Government has also announced a £2 cap on single bus fares from January 2027, helping millions of people with the cost of getting to work, education, healthcare and leisure.
This summer, children aged 5 to 15 have also been able to travel free on eligible buses across England, helping families get out and about during the school holidays.
There is still more to do, but I’ll keep working to give local children the best start in life and make everyday life more affordable for families across our communities.