Big Moment for Play: Play Sufficiency Amendment Tabled in Parliament
Help Us Make History for Children’s Right to Play
A big moment for play — and now we need your voice.
Today, following sustained leadership from Play England, Tom Hayes MP has officially tabled a landmark amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, calling for a statutory Play Sufficiency duty to be embedded in law.
📜 Read the amendment on Parliament’s website
This is a critical step forward in our objective to restore a play-based childhood for every child in England by 2035.
From Manifesto to Momentum: How We Got Here
This landmark amendment was developed by Play England, shaped by:
📌Our 2024 Manifesto calling for Play Sufficiency legislation
📌The NPPF change we secured in December 2024, recognising formal play spaces in national planning policy
📌 Our formal evidence submission to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Committee in April 2025
📌 Decades of national leadership on the child’s right to play
It reflects our belief — shared across public health, education, planning, and childhood sectors — that play is not a luxury, it’s a right.
And it draws directly on successful legislation already in place in Wales and Scotland, bringing England in line with other Home Nations, nd with our obligations under the UNCRC.
What the Amendment Will Do
Backed by evidence, inspired by our new 10-year strategy It All Starts with Play!, this amendment will:
✅ Require local authorities to assess, secure, enhance and protect sufficient play opportunities for children
✅ Embed Play Sufficiency Assessments into Local Plans and planning decisions
✅ Ensure no net loss of play spaces through development
✅ Require developers to deliver inclusive, high-quality, accessible play opportunities
✅ Mandate consultation with children, families, communities and play professionals
This is practical, no-cost, ready to implement — and long overdue.
🚨 What You Can Do: Ask Your MP to Support the Amendment
This is our chance to show Parliament that children matter. That play matters. And that we are serious about building the infrastructure children need — not just to grow up, but to thrive. We’re calling on every supporter, parent, practitioner, councillor, community leader and organisation to take action now.
👉 Step 1: Contact your MP
We’ve made it easy. Just use the template below to email or write to your MP and ask them to:
Publicly support the Play Sufficiency amendment
Speak up for play in Parliament
Help restore the infrastructure of childhood across England
📩 Download the MP email/Letter Template (Word)
📢 Step 2: Spread the Word
Share this post with your networks
Post on social media using: #ItAllStartsWithPlay #PlaySufficiency
Tag your MP and ask them to support the amendment
The amendment page on Parliament’s website is updated daily — so every MP who backs it will be visible.
Because children don’t just need homes 🏡 They need a childhood. And it all starts with play.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to embed children’s right to play in English law — just as Wales and Scotland have already done. The amendment is a bold, achievable way to turn policy into legislation, and to deliver on Labour’s commitment to raise the healthiest generation of children ever.
But it will only happen if we raise our voices — and show the support is real, urgent, and widespread.
Let’s make history for play. Let’s give children their childhood back. The time for systemic change is now. It all starts with play.