Released on: 29 October 2026
NCT welcomes measures in the Budget intended to ease pressure on family finances, including the introduction of a new parental allowance for self-employed fathers, same-sex or other non-birthing partners and adopters. Many families continue to face significant cost of living pressures, with 48% of those polled in our parent experience report, From Expectation to Reality, saying they were struggling more financially after having a baby.
However, whilst support for family finances is welcome, it is disappointing that this is not matched by urgent action to address the immediate pressures facing maternity and neonatal services.
Across the UK, maternity services continue to face workforce pressures and uncertainty. In some areas, services are being merged, relocated or are facing questions about their future, creating anxiety, uncertainty and an erosion of choice for pregnant women and parents at one of the most important times in their lives. We are hearing time and time again how staffing shortages and underinvestment are having a significant impact on the care that families receive.
Parents need confidence that safe, high-quality maternity and neonatal care will be available when and where they need it. Following recent assurances from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that maternity care would be a priority, we had hoped to see some action in this budget to address these immediate pressures. We are disappointed that this didn’t happen, and hope that the national maternity and neonatal action plan, expected later this year, will set out clearly how urgently-needed improvements will be both funded and delivered.
NCT will continue to advocate for women, babies and families, ensuring that this issue remains firmly on the national agenda.