Published on
1 November 2024
This briefing provides an overview of the changes Barnardo’s believes are needed to ensure children are safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful, and the extent to which the Budget addressed these matters.
Executive summary: What the Budget means for children and families
- There is limited positive news for children and families the most in need of support.
- Significant capital spending on schools is a key investment and welcomed.
- £1 billion to extend the Household Support Fund is much needed and welcomed to prevent a cliff edge in crisis support – but this is funding for a safety net, rather than real change.
- The £69 million was announced to continue delivery of a network of Family Hubs is a positive step investing in the 75 areas that already have this provision; Barnardo’s is calling for there to be a Family Hub in every community.
- The government announced over £250 million in 2025-26 to continue to test innovative measures to support children and reduce costs for local authorities. This includes £44 million of new funding to pilot a Kinship Allowance.
- There is also the promise of significant reform to children’s social care in the multi-year spending review due in the Spring. This will be key as without significant investment, local authorities will be unable to sustainably meet current needs for children’s services and simultaneously deliver the necessary rebalancing towards the kind of early intervention services that are at the heart of the recent children’s social care reform agenda.
- Most disappointingly, there limited change to the benefits system, and no end to the ‘two child limit’ – meaning no immediate action to alleviate child poverty.