A Bill to make provision for and in connection with the making available of information about support available for infants, parents and carers of infants, and prospective parents and carers, including reporting requirements relating to such support; and for connected purposes.
House of Lords
14 July 2025
May contain errors — check source documents for definitive information.
The Bill would require English local authorities to publish and keep up-to-date a Start for Life offer online, describing the services available for infants, parents and carers and how to access them. It also creates a framework for reporting and guidance, with the Government publishing an annual overview of available support; the measures apply to England and Wales and are designed with data protection protections in mind.
The bill originated in the Lords, where it progressed to a second reading and had the Order of Commitment discharged in October 2024, clearing the way for it to move to the Commons. It had a Lords 3rd reading and has since had its 1st reading in the Commons and is now at the 2nd reading stage in the Commons.
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The Bill is due to have its Second Reading on a date to be confirmed.
The Bill would require English local authorities to publish and keep up-to-date a 'Start for Life' offer online (and by other appropriate means) describing services for infants and parents—such as maternity care, health visiting, early relationships, infant feeding and mental health support—and to promote it to parents and prospective parents. It also sets out a regulatory framework with guidance from the Secretary of State and regulations by statutory instrument for implementing the duties, plus an annual government report on available support for infants and carers; and it applies to England and Wales with data-protection protections in mind.
The Bill would require English local authorities to publish a Start for Life offer on their websites, detailing core infant-related services (maternity services; health visiting for prospective parents and for parents/carers of infants; services promoting positive parent–infant relationships; mental health services; breastfeeding and other infant feeding services) and to keep this information up to date, plus include other suitable services as they see fit. It would also require the Government to publish an annual, publicly accessible report on the support available for infants and their families, and to provide guidance to authorities on implementing the duty. The measures apply in England (with some territorial notes about England and Wales), and come with data-protection protections and modest costs to local authorities and government.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
