News and communications

How to claim Child Benefit if your child is continuing in further education after their GCSEs.

• Updated: 21 May 2024

New age ratings to be introduced on Relationships, Sex and Health Education content in schools to ensure it is appropriately and sensitively taught.

• Updated: 16 May 2024

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins spoke at the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on birth trauma.

• Updated: 13 May 2024

Hundreds of thousands of families set to benefit as working parents of 9-month-olds can now apply for government-funded childcare for first time.

• Updated: 12 May 2024

Letter to all local authorities in England to update them on changes to the Homelessness Code of Guidance regarding intentional homelessness decisions for care leavers.

• Updated: 3 May 2024

Government publishes new data showing 195,355 children benefitting from government-funded childcare for 2-year-olds in successful April launch.

• Updated: 19 April 2024

Statement to Parliament from Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, at the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

• Updated: 17 April 2024

Professor Sir Chris Whitty writes for The Guardian on smoking addiction and MPs' historic opportunity to vote on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

• Updated: 16 April 2024

MPs to vote on legislation to create first smokefree generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking.

• Updated: 16 April 2024

As delivered by Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

• Updated: 16 April 2024

The Chief Nursing Officers and Senior Midwives of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have spoken out in support of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

• Updated: 16 April 2024

Parents on Universal Credit can now receive up to £1,311 more a year in childcare support following a 6.7% boost coming into effect, as the government’s expansion of free childcare for working parents delivers 150,000 places…

• Updated: 10 April 2024

Notification of additional funding to local authorities to provide extra support to care leavers at risk of homelessness or rough sleeping.

• Updated: 10 April 2024

Child Benefit rates go up on 6 April 2024.

• Updated: 2 April 2024

First phase of the biggest ever expansion of childcare starts giving working parents of 2-year-olds access to 15 hours a week.

• Updated: 1 April 2024

Ofsted has today published a thematic review looking at how adoption services provided by regional adoption agencies (RAAs) contribute to good outcomes for children and families.

• Updated: 26 March 2024

Consultation launched on proposals to expand scheme to 1.6 million more people to help tackle tooth decay.

• Updated: 25 March 2024

A new government campaign will be launched to support parents as research highlights some are unaware their baby's mental health impacts their early development.

• Updated: 22 March 2024

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will deliver on the Prime Minister's commitment to create a smokefree generation, saving thousands of lives and billions for the NHS.

• Updated: 20 March 2024

Places boosted even further with new measures to support childminders, and funding rates confirmed for all childcare providers ahead of historic rollout.

• Updated: 15 March 2024