Table A3: Key policy features of early years cash transfers in high income countries (N=11)
Policy nameType of paymentPayment timingConditional/UnconditionalUniversal/targetedAmount (GBP equiv. indexed to 2026 valuesCountryTimelineUK Health in Pregnancy Grant (HiP)One off paymentAt 25 weeks pregnancyConditional – prenatal careUniversal£190(<£600)UK2009-2011Australian Baby Bonus (ABB)One off paymentAt birthUnconditionalUniversalA$3000(£1000-£3000)Australia2004-2014Poland Baby Bonus (PBB)One off paymentAt birthUnconditional 2006-2009Conditional (from 2009)– prenatal care during 10th week of gestationUniversal€262 per birth(<£600)Poland2006-20092009-South Korea Baby Bonus (SKBB)One off paymentAt birthUnconditional (register birth in district)Universal by districtWide range dependent on district/birth order.2015 average payments : US$680 first child;US$926 second child; US$2350 third child(£1000-£3000)South Korea2000-2015Spain Maternity Bonus (ESMB)One off paymentAt birthUnconditionalUniversal (legal resident for 2 years)€2500 per birth (tax deduction or cash – mother's choice)(£3001+)Spain2007-2010Swiss Baby Bonus (CHBB)One off paymentAt birthUnconditionalUniversal - canton resident (11 of 26 cantons)CHF 1,000–1,500 per child(£1000-£3000)Switzerland1969-2017US Healthy Pregnancy Program (US HPP)One off paymentAt birthConditional - timely prenatal care and regular visitsTargeted to low-income or Medicaid-eligible pregnant womenUS$100 given each to mother & midwife(<£600)US1998-2001US NICU Financial Support, MassachusettsWeekly payments (x3)Mothers enrolled after birth - baby in NICUUnconditional (labelled messaging encouraging skin-to-skin care (STSC), visitation, time with infant)Targeted – Medicaid-eligible mothers and clinical needUS$200 per week (max $600 for 3 weeks)(<£600)US2017-2018Manitoba Healthy Baby Prenatal Benefit Program (HBPB)Monthly paymentsFrom 14 weeks pregnancy until birthUnconditionalTargeted – low-income familiesC$10 to C$81.41 per monthiFrom 2024, maximum amount doubled to C$162.82 per month.