Hidden costs of neonatal care

• Hidden costs introduce inequity in family experience and in the care that babies receive, as they are unable to receive the same level of parent-led care.

• Parents being partners in care delivery and decision-making improves outcomes for babies, but the costs associated with having a baby in neonatal care are high and prevent families from being involved as much as they need to be.

The issue of hidden costs comes up time and again in our conversations with parents.

• Parents we surveyed in 2022 paid £405 in additional weekly costs while their baby was in hospital. These costs arise from parents paying for travel to and from neonatal units daily, relying on high-cost food and drink available on-site at hospitals, paying additional unaffordable childcare costs.
• Parents also told us that on average they lose around £3000 in lost income during their baby’s stay.

Financial support for parents is a priority for our influencing in Parliament. We're asking the Government to introduce a neonatal expenses fund to support parents with travel, childcare and subsistence costs.

In June 2023, we hosted a webinar about the costs facing families, aimed at healthcare professionals, exploring the impact of financial barriers to families when their baby is in neonatal care and the impact the cost-of-living crisis has had on staff too.