Half of parents wish they’d had more essential items to care for their newborn baby 

More than half of parents (54%) in the UK wish they had had more essential items to care for their baby when it was born, according to a new survey for the children’s charity Barnardo’s*. 

Around four in 10 (44%) ‘struggled to afford’ all the essential items needed for the first six months of their baby’s life. The same proportion (44%) feel financial pressure has affected their child’s ability to develop skills such as speech, socialising or physical play. Nearly half (49%) say their child missed out on opportunities to learn or play due to cost.  

Barnardo’s commissioned Censuswide to survey 2,000 UK parents with children aged under five. It also found that 43% of parents feel their child is starting school at a disadvantage due to financial pressures at home. Nearly half (47%) said they had to avoid buying toys, books or educational resources in the past 12 months because of cost. 

Barnardo’s welcomed the ending of the unfair two-child limit on benefit payments and expansion of free school meals in the UK government’s child poverty strategy.   However, with more than four million children living in poverty, more action is needed to reduce child poverty. Part of that action must include a specific focus on tackling poverty in the early years of life. 

Children in the poorest communities are more likely to be born with low birth weight and experience chronic health conditions**. By the age of five, disadvantaged children are already months behind their peers***. A baby born in poverty is less likely to be in good health or be ready for school by the age of five****. 

Some parents have access to baby bundles which contain essential items such as clothes, thermometers, changing mats, books and advice leaflets. However, access to these schemes remains uneven across the UK and dependent on where a child is born. In Scotland, every family receives a Baby Box containing a variety of essentials.  In England and Northern Ireland, provision is patchy and often targeted, while in Wales eligibility depends on postcode. This creates a system in which access to support is determined not by need, but by geography.  

The introduction of a universal baby bundles scheme, providing every new family with a package of high-quality essentials, alongside signposting on advice and support, would give all babies the best possible start.  This has public support with seven in 10 parents (70%) in the Censuswide survey saying the government should make sure that parents have all the essential items needed for their newborn babies from day one.   

Juliea Morris, a Barnardo’s family centre manager in Woking, said: 

“I’ve worked with children and families for nearly 30 years, and in all that time, I don’t think I’ve seen things as tough for parents and carers —especially new parents—as they are today.  The cost of living has had a dramatic effect. 

“We are privileged that families welcome us into their home, it helps us gain an understanding of what’s important to them and support they would like. Many families we are supporting are relying more on food banks than ever. I’ve visited homes where babies are still sleeping in Moses baskets longer because families are unable to afford a cot; and toddlers are often still in prams when they are of an age for a pushchair but again families are unable to afford these. These are not luxuries—they are basic items that keep babies and toddlers safe and healthy.”

Mum Ellie, 26, has been supported by the Woking Family Centre. She has three children aged eight, six and one years old.  She and her daughter, six, have muscular dystrophy.  

She said: “I got a baby bundle when my first child was born. He was born prematurely and was in a neonatal intensive care unit for around six weeks. I got the bundle when he was coming out of hospital. It had a lot in there—like mini tubs of Sudocrem, nappies, wipes and vouchers. It was really handy, especially with the mental side of having a premature baby. When I had my other two, there wasn’t any support with bundles. I think baby bundles can mean a great deal to new parents who are struggling.  

“It’s getting to the point with my disability that my husband was actually debating leaving work. It feels like we have to choose between being in pain and stress every day, or having no money at all. It was a lot easier when I had my first child, before the cost of living went up.” 

Actor Max Bowden, who played Ben Mitchell in Eastenders, recently visited the Woking Family centre. Max, who grew up in the town and lives locally, said: 

“Many first-time parents feel unprepared for the enormity of welcoming a new baby, and I can certainly empathise with that sense of responsibility and the unknown. With no universal guide—and in some cases limited support from family or friends—it can be difficult to ensure that all the essentials are in place. While every parent wants to give their child the best possible start in life, not all families have the financial means to do so. Providing baby bundles for new parents would help ensure access to essential items, supporting the health and development of babies during those crucial early days, weeks, and months.” 

Barnardo’s chief executive Lynn Perry said: 

“Poverty steals the foundations of learning, playing and growing that are essential to build their futures, leading to delays in speech, growth and emotional development.  

“A baby bundle isn’t just a collection of items—it’s a vital building block. It’s a way of making sure that every baby, regardless of their parents’ circumstances, has what they need from the very beginning. It means a family doesn’t have to choose between heating and a cot, or between food for themselves and clothes for their newborn. It means the basics are there, ready and waiting, so parents can focus on bonding with their baby rather than worrying about how they’ll provide for them. 

“By giving parents the essential items they need from day one, we’re not just supporting families in crisis—we’re investing in children’s health, wellbeing and development for years to come. It’s something all parents need for their newborn babies and which we are calling for the government to provide.” 

To find out more about Barnardo’s and how you could help support children, young people and families, visit barnardos.org.uk.  

Notes to Editors:   

 *The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 2,000 UK parents of children aged 0-4. The data was collected between 20/02/2026 - 26/02/2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. It adheres to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles. 

**Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, Dec 2024.  Child and maternal health profiles, December 2024 update: statistical commentary - GOV.UK 

Asthma + Lung UK, December 2024. Children from the most deprived areas more likely to die from an asthma attack | Asthma + Lung UK 

*** Education Policy Institute – Annual report 2025. 

https://epi.org.uk/annual-report-2025-foreword-executive-summary/ 

**** Fabian Society – First Steps. https://fabians.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FIRST-STEPS-PDF-23-May.pdf