A commission backed by Labour politicians has urged the government to expand family centres under the Sure Start brand, arguing it could help win back Reform voters in former Labour heartlands. The Independent Commission on Neighbourhoods, chaired by Labour peer Hilary Armstrong, said its polling showed 62% of people recognised the Sure Start brand, and 76% would like to see it revived.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced last month that one-stop-shop family hubs similar to Sure Start would be introduced throughout England, under the name Best Start. The £500m project will open up to 1,000 centres from April 2026, aiming for every council in England to have a family hub by 2028. The policy builds on existing family hubs and the start for life programme to provide a single point of access for health, education and wellbeing services.
Hilary Armstrong said: 'On our visits across the country we have heard time and again how Sure Start made a positive difference to the lives of people in ways that few other policy initiatives have done. Our work has shown that bringing back Sure Start centres through upgrading existing services in the most disadvantaged places would not only be good value for money but would also start to rebuild trust in neighbourhoods which saw services taken away due to austerity.'
Polling by the commission found reinstatement as Sure Start would have cross-party appeal, including to working-class voters who switched to Reform in May’s local government elections. It found 65% of Reform voters backed its return, along with 82% of Liberal Democrat voters and 87% of Green voters. Among those described as 'Reform curious', support rose to 68%.
Government sources said the Best Start brand was tested and came out as the clear winner against other options, with focus groups drawn from expectant parents up to those with 10-year-olds, all from lower socioeconomic groups. A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'Giving children growing up in our country the best start in life is central to our mission to break the unfair link between background and success. This government is revitalising family services, rolling out up to 1,000 Best Start family hubs in every local area.'
