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Healthcare professionals

State of the Nation research

Our State of the Nation research is a major study into the experiences of parents and families with twins, triplets or more.

A black woman smiles at the camera holding twin babies on her lap

Commissioned by Twins Trust and written by Per Capita, an independent public policy think tank, the report brings together several strands of evidence. It includes an analysis of how different OECD countries support multiple birth families, a survey of more than one thousand eight hundred UK parents of multiples, a review of existing research on twins and multiples and an assessment of how life has changed over time for families with twins, triplets or more.

Key findings

Raising twins, triplets or more is more difficult in the UK than in almost any other advanced OECD economy, largely because there is so little additional support.

  • £20k

    financial impact

    in the first year, compared with having two babies in succession

  • 72%

    of families

    having multiples had to buy a new car to accommodate their children

  • 15%

    decline

    in household income, about £12,500, in the first year

  • 84%

    of families

    had one or more parent struggling with mental health in the first year

Explore the full findings

The report offers a detailed picture of what it means to have multiples in the UK today. The findings provide valuable evidence for policymakers, healthcare professionals, parents and support services, with the aim of improving wellbeing and support for families in the UK and beyond.

Key recommendations to change the maternity landscape

The report calls for much greater financial and emotional support for families who have had twins, triplets or more. Our first major campaign focuses on fairer maternity pay, while we work with government and key stakeholders on the wider recommendations.

  • Fairer maternity pay: an increase in financial support for families with multiples, for example by moving to maternity pay per baby rather than per pregnancy, or by expanding the Sure Start Maternity Grant. Join us in taking action by emailing your MP to help get this vital issue raised in Parliament
  • Additional mental health support: more tailored mental health support that recognises the significant extra pressures involved in parenting twins, triplets or more
  • Extra care support: an allocation of hours of practical care for families with multiples, to help ease day-to-day pressures in the early years

Take action

We're campaigning for fairer maternity pay for families with twins, triplets or more. You can help by emailing your MP and asking them to raise this issue in Parliament.

Email your MP
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