Camden’s pioneering Pregnancy Grant pilot is set to be extended for a further year, following an initial independent Nesta report showing it is easing financial pressures for expectant parents and helping hundreds of families build stronger connections with local services.
Launched in April 2025, the pilot provides a £500 unconditional grant to low-income families in their third trimester. Camden is the first place in the UK to offer this type of proactive pregnancy grant. It uses NHS and council data to identify eligible parents and reach out directly, removing the need for any application.
So far, more than 350 parents have received the £500 grant. Early evidence shows that the extra support is relieving financial pressure at a time when everyday costs are rising and helping parents prepare for a new baby. Parents who received the grant describe it as a “burden lifted”, helping them to buy essential baby items such as prams and cribs, meet the rising cost of nappies and clothing, or cover pressing household bills.
Councillor Camron Aref-Adib, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living, said:
“Every family should be able to look forward to the birth of their child without the added worry of how they will afford the basics in the face of rising living costs. We created the Pregnancy Grant because we wanted to offer parents practical help at a time that really matters.
“The early results show it is doing exactly that, with parents telling us the grant eases pressure, reduces stress and helps them feel more prepared. We’re proud to be leading the way with this work and pleased to extend the programme so we can support even more parents and give every child the best possible start in life.”
Following the positive early findings from the interim evaluation by Nesta, the innovation and research foundation, Camden has committed to extending the evaluated pilot until October 2026 and continuing the grant scheme until March 2027.
The pilot was set up in response to the high cost of living facing families, and the growing number of children living in low-income households both nationally and in Camden. Pregnancy can bring unexpected costs, and research shows unconditional financial support during this time can reduce health risks and improve longer term wellbeing.
The evaluation findings show that parents found the grant process smooth and valued the support of a Family Navigator, a friendly point of contact who helped connect them with free services through Camden’s Children’s Centres and Family Hubs. This includes midwifery and health visiting, baby feeding support, parenting classes, mental health and wellbeing support, benefits and money advice, nursery places and childcare, and drop-in sessions for under 5s. Parents said these conversations boosted their awareness of local services and made them more likely to engage with support during pregnancy and early parenthood.
This pilot shows the difference that early, proactive support can make at a key moment in parents’ lives. To help other areas learn from Camden’s experience, the Council and Nesta have published a toolkit explaining how the programme was developed. Visit the website to find out more: nesta.org.uk/toolkit/family-hubs-pregnancy-grant-toolkit
This initiative forms part of Raise Camden, Camden Council’s partnership innovation programme to combat child health equity in Camden. More information is available here: camden.gov.uk/raise-camden
