New wave of mums to benefit from 24/7 breastfeeding support

The government has extended the National Breastfeeding Helpline, helping ensure more mothers across the UK can access dedicated breastfeeding support 24 hours a day. This service is just one of the ways the government is helping families through the Plan for Change. The announcement comes as the government undertakes a complete reform of family services, including the rollout of up to 1,000 new Best Start Family Hubs across every local authority, ensuring parents can easily access joined-up early help on everything from breastfeeding to mental health and housing.

The government is providing £126 million in funding in 2025-26 to support its Family Hubs and Start for Life programme, which helps families with advice and support services including infant feeding, parenting classes and perinatal mental health support, among other areas.

Minister for Children and Families Janet Daby says: “Ensuring families have the support they need from day one is central to delivering our Plan for Change and giving every child the best start in life.

“We know those first days and weeks can be overwhelming, and services like the National Breastfeeding Helpline are there to give parents reassurance and expert help whenever they need it most.”

Catherine Hine, Chief Executive of The Breastfeeding Network, adds: “The National Breastfeeding Helpline is a vital source of infant feeding support, run by the Breastfeeding Network and the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers, and trusted by tens of thousands of families every year. 

“While some callers seek help for a wider range of infant feeding challenges, we know that almost nine in 10 (89%) of callers are more confident to continue breastfeeding after contacting the helpline. Many women also call to talk about combination feeding, introducing solids, stopping breastfeeding and formula feeding.”