The financial benefits of the Sure Start early years programme could be twice as high as its costs, according to new analysis.

The 10-year, Nuffield Foundation funded study of the programme, which was launched in the 2000s, evaluated the impact of having greater access to Sure Start early in life on children’s development until age 16.

Sarah Cattan, research fellow at IFS and an author of the report, said: ‘If this Government wants to increase opportunities and boost children’s life chances, it should take a serious look at integrated early years services. Programmes such as Family Hubs and Start for Life and a wide range of local initiatives are a step in the right direction. But with total spending of less than £600m last year, the scale of resources is nowhere close to the £2.7bn spent on Sure Start at its peak. Our work shows that integrated early years services, done well, are cheaper than they initially seem once their benefits are taken into account.’

The analysis found Sure Start generated around £2.4bn in long-run benefits for the public purse compared with its peak cost of £2.7bn. This includes savings in health, SEND and children’s social care (£0.6bn) and projected higher revenue from income tax and National Insurance contributions (£1.9bn).

In addition, the IFS estimates Sure Start generated around £3.1bn in higher lifetime post-tax earnings for each cohort of children and families who used the centres – or a £7,800 boost to lifetime post-tax earnings for the average person. This is based on the projected lifetime earnings impacts of performing better at GCSEs.

Lee Peart is editor of Hemming Group’s Healthcare Management magazine.