�200 for expecting mothers from april 08??

[northboy]

on the news today expectant mothers to receive �200 to buy food etc for there newly born babies to eat more healthier..ok i understand that there are a lot of legitimate mothers out there.but come on the amount of teenagers today who are getting pregnant and kids growing up with no fathers today,isnt this just a stepping stone for more teenagers to get pregnant.we already have the highest % of teen pregnancies in europe.soon it will be the world.very scary.can u honestly see these teens spending the �200 on baby food i think not.what is this country coming to and the government....what next??the mind boggles

[naomi24]

It's another ill thought-out idea. Although I can't honestly see anyone becoming pregnant just to get �200 from the government, there will no doubt be people - of all ages - who won't spend the money on the baby. In my opinion it's high time the whole benefits system was investigated and overhauled properly by someone who lives in the real world and has a modicum of common sense. Unfortunately there's just one snag in that plan. Where do we find someone in government who lives in the real world and is endowed with a modicum of common sense?

[TEAK36]

I doubt very much they will get �200 in cash, they will most probably be given vouchers of some sort that can be exchanged for baby products.

[legend758duo]

more money for drink and fags then eh ?

or a nice burberry buggy for the baby perhaps ??

[northboy]

could not agree more naomi24.the whole benefit system should be looked at again and revised.

[daffy654]

I have a teenage daughter who is pregnant,she is 18 and has been with her partner for nearly 3 years now,he works as a plasterer so earns about �100.00 a day. They are not in reciept of any benefits and never have been.My daughter is the most responsible teenager I have ever met and I object to you lumping all pregnant teenagers into the same category of useless scroungers. I do think a lot of the teenagers will waste the money but please don't think they all will.

[Oneeyedvic]

teak - the �200 is meant to be for healthy eating - will be very difficult to supply vouchers for fruit and vegetables. It would be illegal for the government to supply vouchers that only supermarkets can accept, so presumably local independents will accept them - that would make it impossible to police so presumablt the vouchers would be used for any purpose.

It does sound incredibly ill thought out, but will reserve full judgement until I hear the full details.

Being cynical, there will be people who get pregnant, get the �200 and then have a termination or have the baby adopted.

(as my wife adopted her children I can tell you that there are people who adopt out for the benefits they get)

[Pippa68]

Is this the same story?

http://www.virginmedia.com/news/uk/uk-story.ph p?*******=12923147

This one states it is money for the mother to eat healthy food during her pregnancy..however it will be cash, and she will be free to spend it how she wishes.

My guess is that the cash may well go towards a Bugaboo..or whatever celebrity pram is the latest fashion ;o)

[Pippa68]

Sorry ~ that link was pants!

''The cash will be given to all mothers seven months into their pregnancy, accompanied by professional health advice on maintaining a balanced diet. Women will be encouraged to spend the money on fruit and vegetables.

But they are expected to be free to spend the cash as they see fit, even on unhealthy products like cigarettes and alcohol.

A Department of Health spokesman said: "It is something that would be put in place in conjunction with health professionals who already visit pregnant women with healthy diet advice."

A report from former government NHS adviser Sir Derek Wanless is this week expected to call for action to change unhealthy lifestyles in order to reverse Britain's growing obesity problem.

Mr Johnson is expected to say on Thursday that almost one in 12 babies in England and Wales are born underweight, sometimes because their growth in the womb has been retarded by a lack of nutrients.

This not only increases the danger of dying in infancy, but puts them at greater risk of long-term heart problems, diabetes, lung conditions and cognitive disorders.''

[saxy_jag]

I got twenty-five quid when I had each of mine twenty-odd years ago, and that barely covered the cost of a couple of dozen terry nappies (remember the days or real nappies, girls?)

We got healthy eating advice - for ourselves and our babies - from people called midwives, a dying breed these days. What they didn't give out, we got from books and magazines. Of course, that was in the days when young mothers had left school able to read.

[Goodsoulette]

They give out vouchers for fruit and veg to be people in sure start areas now in receipt of benefits. Its not a lot something lik3 quid a week. 200 quid of ASDA vouchers would be better.

[Oneeyedvic]

whilst the benefit system needs address, one of the items I would like to see is a centre where those on a loan income could go and receive free 'healthy' food such as vegetable, fruit, uncooked meat etc, together with advice on how to cook nutritional meals.

[enigma]

I sincerely doubt that anyone would get pregnant just for the sake of receiving �200 and if the information is correct that to qualify, the mother must be at least seven months pregnant, then that dismisses the ridiculous notion of terminating the pregnancy after being in receipt of the cash. It seems unlikely to me that any woman would endure the ailments associated with pregnancy such as morning sickness, nosebleeds, cramps,swollen ankles etc not to mention the obvious matter of a lengthy and very painful pregnancy, just to hand over her baby for a measly �200. I doubt very much that any mother who has given her baby up for adoption has made that decision lightly (or at least in most cases) and to suggest otherwise is completely ludicrous.

Furthermore, as has been stated, there are currently vouchers issued in certain areas for fruit and veg for those in receipt of benefits or low incomes but to limit this to a designated supermarket such as Asda would seriously inhibit the availability to those not in close proximity to the said supermarket. It would be better if accepted by a wide range of participating supermarkets, corner shops and fruitmongers, to allow flexibility in choosing where to spend the vouchers.

According to this link, it will �120 - not �200 and will NOT be means tested, so will be available to all in 2009. Unlike the Sure Start maternity grant, this payment will be available to all in the same way as Child Benefit is payable to all with age appropriate children. I wholeheartedly agree with offering incentives to get expectant mothers eating healthily to promote good eating habits in pregnancy, which is essential for the wellbeing of the developing foetus but I feel that it is foolish to offer this as a cash payment and vouchers would ensure that the cash was ONLY spent on what it was intended for.

ht

[coffeeboy]

If the Gov can find this money for mothers why cant they find some for the Pensioners?

[I.Don No]

Naomi24

completely with you on this

XXX

[lorri24601]

this idea was probably thought up by the same government minister that decided all children have to stay at school until they are 18..............unless they are pregnant !!!!!

[Oneeyedvic]

I doubt very much that any mother who has given her baby up for adoption has made that decision lightly (or at least in most cases) and to suggest otherwise is completely ludicrous.

First of all, how many people have you met that have had their children adopted?

Secondly, the person who gave up their child (who is my eldest stepson) was 16 at the time and this was the third time she had had a child adopted. She seemed to think of adoption as a type of birth control. She also took a lot of benefits that you were entitled to when you first had a child (intended to purchase prams, cots etc).

Sorry if this sounds ludicrous to you, but sadly it is true.

[Goodsoulette]

When the money will be given at 7 months who is going to be able to get a termination, no one unless they are going to die if they have the baby. If the money is for healthy eating whilst pregnant it doesnt matter whether the baby is adopted or not surely.

Its a valid point though, money in these circumstances should be given in vouchers to insure it goes to the right places.

[maggiebee]

Well said daffy654. Of course your post has been studiously ignored! From what I've read on here you would think that it was only unmarried teenagers who got pregnant. Is this £200 only available to teenagers or will it be available to all pregnant mothers (with husbands) who happen to live off a very small income?