Camden pilots £500 Camden Family Hubs Pregnancy Grant

Camden Council and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) have launched a one-year pilot scheme to support pregnant residents who are in the greatest financial need.

Camden Council’s Children’s Centres and Family Hubs and Money Advice service, together with the local NHS, are contacting eligible parents-to-be to offer them a £500 cash grant to help with the costs of pregnancy and preparing for a baby.

At the same time, eligible parents-to-be will be encouraged to visit their local Children’s Centre and Family Hub to explore further support and opportunities to meet new people. The aim is to support to support up to 800 parents through this one-year pilot.

This cash grant is available to pregnant individuals who meet specific criteria, for example, recipients of Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

The introduction of the pilot scheme comes following the announcement of a taskforce to look at the issue of child poverty in Camden. The Raise Camden Taskforce will be co-chaired by the Council Leader, Councillor Richard Olszewski and Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the Institute of Health Equity and Professor of Epidemiology at University College London.

Camden Council developed the programme based on research with Camden parents conducted by the innovation charity Nesta. Nesta will also undertake an evaluation of the pilot scheme after its launch.

“Studies have found a link between parents experiencing financial pressure and the low birth weight and poorer health outcomes for their children. We want to take away this inequity and provide help and support at what can be a really stressful moment for expectant parents, to give their child the best chance for a healthy life.”

Councillor Anna Wright, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care

“We want to work with partners across Camden to put an end to child poverty in Camden and that means supporting parents who are in greatest financial need before their child is even born. This is not just a form of financial help, but crucially the start of a connection into the many support services we offer for parents through our Children’s Centres and Family Hubs. This offer includes help with how to care for the baby and child, money, welfare and job advice and much more.”

Councillor Camron Aref-Adib, Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living

Graeme Caul, Chief Operating Officer at CNWL, said:

“CNWL is proud to support this important initiative. We’re committed to working in close partnership with Camden Integrated Early Years Service (IEYS) to deliver coordinated, holistic care for families across Camden. This pilot programme represents more than financial assistance – it aims to foster meaningful connections between families in need, their local Family Hubs, and the wider community. By offering tailored, responsive, and accessible services, we strive to ensure every family receives the support they need, when they need it.”

Mary-Alice Doyle, Principal Researcher for Fairer Start at Nesta, said:

“Getting the right support during pregnancy can make a big difference for babies and their parents. This pilot is an opportunity to offer much-needed help directly to hundreds of families during a critical time, while getting insights into whether and how this approach could apply elsewhere. We’re pleased to be working closely with the Council’s project team to design and evaluate this promising new approach, ensuring it provides the best possible support and evidence.”

Recipients of the £500 cash grant can choose themselves how to spend the money and it will not affect benefit payments.

Further information

The first 1,001 days — from pregnancy to age two — are especially important and getting help early can make a big difference to a child’s future.

Being a parent can be fun, rewarding, and sometimes hard. We’re here to support Camden parents throughout their parenting journey, whenever they need help.

Camden’s Children’s Centres and Family Hubs offer free support for families from pregnancy through to age 19, or up to 25 for disabled children or those with special educational needs (SEND).

This includes:

Access to midwife clinics, family health visits and baby feeding support
Finding local parenting courses
After-school clubs and holiday playschemes
Access to Youth support
Free early education and free childcare
Mental health and wellbeing
Family support that can be provided at your home
Guidance on benefits advice, training, employment, and volunteering opportunities
Support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Nursery and childcare
Support for your child’s communication skills

Find out more about Camden’s Children Centres and Family Hubs at: Families — Camden Council

For more information about the £500 Camden Family Hubs Pregnancy Grant, visit http://families.camden.gov.uk/support-for-parents/parent-health-welfare/pregnancy-grant