Overview

This bill mandates that all UK public bodies conduct family impact assessments before implementing policy changes. It also requires the government to set targets for family stability and report on the costs and benefits of extending these assessments to local authorities.

Description

The Family Relationships (Impact Assessment and Targets) Bill requires public bodies to assess the likely impact of proposed policy changes on families. This includes considering the impact on various family structures, from married couples to extended family members, and accounts for diverse family situations including separation, bereavement, and illness. Bodies must either publish a family impact assessment or explain why one isn't necessary. If a negative impact is identified, mitigation strategies must be detailed. The bill also compels the Secretary of State to:

• Report on the costs and benefits of extending these assessments to local authorities within six months.
• Publish objectives and targets for family stability, including indicators for measuring progress, within nine months.
• Annually report on progress towards these targets.
• Review and update targets every three years.

The bill defines "family" broadly, encompassing a wide range of relationships and family structures.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending figures. However, implementing family impact assessments across all public bodies and establishing new reporting mechanisms will likely incur costs. The Secretary of State's report on extending assessments to local authorities will determine the financial implications of this expansion.

Groups Affected

This bill affects numerous groups:

• Central government departments: Required to conduct family impact assessments for all policy changes.
• Other public bodies: Those designated by the Secretary of State will also be required to conduct assessments.
• Local authorities in England and Wales: The potential extension of the assessment requirement to local authorities will affect their operations and budgets.
• Families: The bill aims to positively impact families by considering their needs in policymaking. The specific impact will depend on the nature of individual policies.

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