Date: 23 March 2010
Cash help for working parents will be in the spotlight tomorrow as shopworkers’ union Usdaw takes its award winning Supporting Parents and Carers campaign to Westminster (Wednesday 24 March).
Usdaw will meet with MPs ahead of tomorrow's
Budget to promote the importance of benefits like Tax Credits, the
Sure Start Maternity Grant and the Child Trust Fund to Usdaw
members.
“We know from our own surveys that working
parents are twice as likely to be worried about money than those
without children, yet many haven't heard of the benefits they are
entitled to claim, ” said General Secretary John Hannett.
“Benefits like tax credits, the Sure Start
Maternity Grant and the Health In Pregnancy Grant, all introduced
by this Labour Government, have made a real difference to members’
lives providing vital cash help and practical support at a time
when parents need it most.
“However our own survey shows low levels of
benefit awareness amongst working parents. Less than one third of
the working parents surveyed had heard of the Sure Start Maternity
Grant, which is worth £500 to low income parents when a new baby is
born.
“Fewer than one in ten new parents were
aware of the Health in Pregnancy Grant, even though the £190 grant
is not means tested and is available to almost all pregnant
women.
“The good news is that being in a trade
union makes a difference. Usdaw members are twice as likely to know
about the Health in Pregnancy Grant than non union-members, an
indication that Usdaw’s Supporting Parents and Carers Campaign is
reaching members on the shop floor.
“These are difficult times for our members,
not least for working parents. We want to raise awareness of the
support this Labour Government has made available to help working
parents with the extra costs that inevitably come with raising a
family.
“But this is not just a Westminster event.
Usdaw Reps up and down the country are staging events in workplaces
on our annual Supporting Parents & Carers Campaign Spotlight
Day to take this message out to parents on the shopfloor.
“Usdaw knows this is a worrying time for
many working parents and carers and we are focusing our attention
on doing all we can to better support our members who are juggling
paid work with bringing up children. Thousands of leaflets, posters
and cards have been sent out to reps and members with information
about what benefits are available and how to go about claiming
them.”
Notes to Editors:
- Contacts for newsdesks: Mike Glover can be
contacted on 0161 249 2442.
- Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and
Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, with over
386,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but
the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food
manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
- More information and news releases are
available at our online Newsroom.
- Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news
releases via our online e-news service at:
http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html