Pregnancy Grant" width="180" height="180" align="right" />

If you are pregnant and your baby is due between now and spring 2011, you can apply for the Health in Pregnancy Grant (HiPG), a one-off payment of £190 for mums-to-be.

The payment is intended to help you stay fit and healthy during the later stages of your pregnancy and around 850,000 women have benefited from the grant.

If you are already 25 weeks pregnant, or you are beyond that stage, you
need to apply for the grant now – please contact your midwife for a form,
which he or she needs to sign. You need to return the signed form to HM
Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

The grant will come to an end in about January 2011, as the Government
seeks to reduce the public debt. But if you reach the 25th week of your
pregnancy before 1 January 2011, you will still be entitled to the grant,
as long as you meet the set criteria.

If you see your midwife after 1 January but reach your 25th week of pregnancy
before 1 January, you will still be eligible to claim. You must ensure
you send your completed claim form to HMRC within 31 days of your midwife
signing it or you may not receive the payment.

For information on eligibility, see www.hmrc.gov.uk/hipg/what-is-it.htm.

As the payment is available to all expectant mothers, the Government
considers the payment to be a poorly targeted use of limited public funds
and that abolishing it will help reduce the public deficit.

After the Health in Pregnancy Grant ends, mums on low incomes will still
be able to benefit from Healthy Start vouchers and Sure Start maternity
grants. For details, see www.healthystart.nhs.uk,
the Money, tax and benefits section of www.Direct.Gov.UK
or contact Jobcentre Plus on 0800 055 6688.

Where to next

• Read babyworld’s working
  parents and pregnant
  worker articles
• www.maternityalliance.org.uk
  - the Maternity Alliance is an independent national charity which works
  to improve rights and services for all pregnant women, new mothers and
  their families. They also provide 24-hour recorded information on maternity
  rights and benefits and parental leave. Tel: 020 7588 8582.
• www.direct.gov.uk/money4mum2be
  - more information on the Health in Pregnancy Grant.