A leading charity has warned the government not to make further cuts to maternity pay amid fears of increased postnatal depression and family break-ups.
The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) has written to David Cameron and Nick Clegg warning that lasting harm could be caused to parents and children by cuts in maternity or paternity pay. It comes after chancellor George Osborne said that a further £12bn worth of cuts to benefits would need to be made after the next election.
Pensions are understood to be exempted from future spending cuts but not maternity pay and the charity says that, though the coalition has made progress in allowing parents to share their leave, this would be worthless if they could not afford to take it.
The NCT’s chief executive Belinda Phipps said the charity was asking the government to recognise the importance of the first thousand days of parenthood and, rather than cut maternity and paternity pay, increase them to a level that matches the cost of living. The Treasury has confirmed that maternity and paternity pay are to be included in the welfare cap, due to begin in 2015.
