More money to help pregnant women

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Expectant mothers are to be given a new one-off payment worth £190 to keep them healthy in the final weeks of pregnancy, the government has said.

The Health in Pregnancy Grant will be paid to women from the twenty fifth week of pregnancy starting April 2009.

It is designed to help women maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle at a time when many of them have stopped working.

To claim the money, which will not be means tested, women must be under the care of a midwife or health worker.

Details of the new grant were announced at a conference organised by the Daycare Trust.

Flexibility

Financial Secretary to the Treasury Jane Kennedy said the government wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle but recognised the financial pressures facing pregnant women.

"The Health in Pregnancy Grant is designed to provide pregnant women with financial support, alongside important advice from a health professional to help them invest in their individual needs during pregnancy," she said.

Ms Kennedy added that the system would be flexible enough for women "to choose how they budget and where they spend the money".

We welcome this extra boost for expectant mothers which will help give children the best start in life Alison Garnham, Daycare Trust

Some charities have criticised the lack of measures to ensure the cash is actually spent on healthy food. They also point out that babies benefit from good nutrition throughout pregnancy.

But the Daycare Trust welcomed the announcement.

"We know that the health of mothers during pregnancy is a very important predictor of children's outcomes," said Alison Garnham, joint chief executive of the Trust.

"We welcome this extra boost for expectant mothers, which will help give children the best start in life."

Universal help

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has worked closely with the government to develop the new grant.

General secretary Dr Peter Carter said the RCN felt it was vital that the payment was universally available.

"It is important for the grant to be non-means tested and available to all pregnant women, as their continued health during pregnancy is important for themselves, their baby and their family."

In the 2006 Pre-budget report, the then Chancellor Gordon Brown announced that from April 2009 every mother-to-be would be eligible for child benefit from the 29th week of pregnancy.

Ministers subsequently decided to make a single payment called the Health in Pregnancy Grant instead.