Delivering in Government: A special pre-election round up of good news Labour stories

A new session is looming.

The State Opening of Parliament takes place on 13 May, when the King’s Speech lays out the government’s priorities for the next year or two.

With elections at different levels throughout the UK coming up before that, it’s a good time to take stock of what Labour has achieved so far – much of which comes into force this month.

Here are seven of the most exciting breakthroughs that you can use, whether you’re on the doorstep, sparring on social media, or debating in the pub.

1. Scrapping the two-child benefit cap

Labour has scrapped the two-child limit on Universal Credit.

From this month, families receive the payment – worth around £3,650 a year per child – for every child, not just the first two.

The government’s own analysis estimates this will lift 450,000 children out of poverty by the end of this parliament. The IFS, the Resolution Foundation, and the Child Poverty Action Group all identified it as the single most cost-effective step the government could take to reduce child poverty.

Around 60% of the households affected have at least one parent in work, meaning most of the families now better off were already in jobs but still penalised for having a third child.

2. Ending no-fault evictions

Labour has banned no-fault evictions through the Renters’ Rights Act.

From 1 May, landlords can no longer kick out tenants without giving a legitimate reason.

The Act also introduces new protections for renters, including:

• Doubling the notice landlords must give tenants before reclaiming a property to sell it or move in, from two months to four.
• Allowing tenants to challenge rent rises through a tribunal if they think it’s above market rate.
• Banning landlords from demanding more than one month’s rent in advance, reducing the upfront cost of moving for many.
  

3. Biggest workers’ rights upgrade in a generation

Labour’s Employment Rights Act has overhauled the rights of working people for the first time in decades.

Key changes that come into force from this month include:

• Applying statutory sick pay from day one of illness. Previously, there was a three-day waiting period that meant the lowest-paid workers lost money when they were ill.
• Entitlement to paternity and parental leave from day one of a new job. Parents no longer have to earn the right to be there for a new child.
• Requiring employers to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment, including from third parties such as customers.

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4. Free breakfast clubs in every primary school

Labour has launched free breakfast clubs for every primary school child in England.

Following a pilot, the national rollout began this month, and will expand to all state primaries by March 2027.

Every child gets 30 minutes of free provision before the school day starts. Schools can choose to provide food, supervised activities, or both.

The policy has two purposes: tackling hunger at the start of the school day, which teachers have consistently said affects concentration and behaviour, and giving working parents reliable, free childcare from 8am.

5. A&E waiting times at a four-year low

A&E waiting times this winter were the shortest in four years.

Almost three-quarters of patients were seen within four hours, the best performance since 2021/22, despite the busiest winter on record.

The wider picture is improving too:

• Labour has cut the NHS waiting list by more than 330,000 since taking office, to its lowest level in almost three years.
• The number of people waiting over a year for treatment has fallen to around 123,000 – down from a peak of over 400,000 in early 2024.
• The NHS delivered 18.4 million treatments in 2025, the highest in its history.

6. Railways back in public hands

Labour has transferred the first rail services into public ownership.

Half of all train journeys in England are now operated by a publicly controlled operator.

South Western Railway, c2c, London Northwestern and West Midlands have already transferred. The remaining franchises will follow as contracts expire, so taxpayers pay no extra compensation to private operators.

All of this means profits that previously went to private shareholders now stay in the public system.

7. Cutting red tape to build more homes

Labour has passed the Planning and Infrastructure Act, the biggest overhaul of the planning system in a generation.

The Act removes the blockages that have stopped the country building what it needs.

New homes will face fewer legal delays, as developers can now challenge planning decisions without the threat of repeated judicial reviews blocking construction.

There’s also a streamlined approval process for major infrastructure projects, such as roads, railways, and wind farms, cutting average delivery times by 12 months. That means the first new reservoir in 30 years can now be built, while people living near new pylons can receive up to £2,500 off their energy bills.

Labour says the changes will inject £7.5 billion into the economy over the next decade.

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