The government has published it Child Poverty Strategy, promising to lift around 550,000 children out of poverty.
After the announcement of removing the two-child child benefit limit, the new strategy will tackle the root causes of poverty, by cutting the cost of essentials, boosting family incomes, and improving local services so every child has the best start in life.
Research has found that children growing up in poverty do less well in school, are more likely to be unemployed when older and earn less throughout their lifetimes.

The government has announced a £3 billion boost for bus services and infrastructure.
The multi-year funding will give councils the opportunity to spend the money how they see fit. This could be lowering the prices of fares, introducing new routes and zero emission buses or creating safer bus stops.
The funding follows the Bus Services Act becoming law in October 2025, which gave local authorities the power to run local services how they see fit and provides greater protection to socially necessary routes.

The government has confirmed almost £6 billion over the next 30 years for six fast-tracked devolution areas.
Almost £200 million will be shared each year by the places on the Devolution Priority Programme.
Each area will get their own mayor, who will be able to spend the money on local priorities to boost their area’s economy to create lasting jobs and opportunities.

Homes England has signed its 10th Strategic Place Partnership (SPP) with the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
Homes England is already working alongside EMCCA to deliver significant regeneration projects in the region, such as the former Broad Marsh shopping centre in Nottingham. 
The Agency purchased the Broad Marsh site in March this year.  Work is already underway to derisk the development with the aim to attract private sector partners eager to take part in the city’s transformation.

Communities are being urged to get in involved with Pride in Place.
People are encouraged to sign up to their local Neighbourhood Board to decide how funding should be spent in their area.
169 areas will each receive £150,000 in the new year.
New guidance has been published which sets out potential project ideas including revitalising their high street to setting up a community sports league, or boosting healthy eating with community cooking classes.

A Winter of Action has been launched to crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour over winter.
Police, councils and businesses have united to protect shoppers, retail workers and Christmas revellers.
Police will use hotspot patrols, quick visible enforcement, and locally tailored approaches, working closely with businesses and community groups to clamp down on shop theft and street crime across hundreds of town centres.

The government has put forward proposals to allow local authorities to reserve some contracts for suppliers in their area.
The reforms aim to unlock growth by slashing commercial red tape, simplifying the public contracts regime and removing barriers for smaller firms to work with government.
Under the proposed reforms, councils, fire and police authorities in England will now be able to reserve competitions for their lower-value contracts to UK-based suppliers and suppliers in a defined local area.  

A new online appeals service is now available to local planning authorities in England.
The Planning Inspectorate has completed the national rollout of its new digital appeals service, meaning all local planning authorities will be able to manage planning appeals online.
All LPAs can now use the new service to manage Householder (HAS), Planning (S78) and Listed Building (S20) appeals.