All people in the UK have a right to access NHS maternity care, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
Who Can Access Care?
- Everyone in the UK can access NHS maternity care, no matter their citizenship or immigration status.
Costs
- Free or Charged: Not everyone gets free maternity care. It depends on if you are ‘ordinarily resident’. This means living in the UK legally, by choice, and for settled purposes. Foreign nationals can also be considered ‘ordinarily resident’.
- Help with Charges: If you are charged and don’t know why or want to challenge it, you can contact Maternity Action. They also support pregnant people and new parents with issues like employment and healthcare.
After Giving Birth
- Child Benefits: You might be eligible for child benefits. For more information, see here.
What to Do if You’re Pregnant
- First Steps: The NHS advises seeing a midwife or GP as soon as possible to start getting maternity (antenatal) care. Try to see a midwife before you are 10 weeks pregnant.
- Maternity Care Includes:
- 10 pregnancy appointments to check your baby’s health.
- Screening tests to check for certain conditions.
- Blood tests for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B.
- More Information: Visit the NHS website for details on what maternity care involves.
Additional Information
- FFT Report: See our report on maternity engagement and outreach work with Gypsies and Travellers.
If you are experiencing difficulties, please contact the Friends, Families and Travellers helpline on 01273 234 777. We are open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm excluding bank holidays.
Correct as of June 2024.
