Parents of critically ill children ‘crushed’ by lack of support, say campaigners

Campaigners, including the parents of six-year-old Hugh Menai-Davis who died of cancer, are highlighting the lack of financial support for parents of critically ill children in the UK. Currently, statutory financial support for parents ends when a child is one month old, leaving families struggling to afford time off work to care for sick children. The Menai-Davis family experienced this hardship firsthand while caring for Hugh during his 10-month cancer treatment. They are advocating for "Hugh's Law," a new statutory provision to provide financial assistance to parents of children hospitalized long-term. Ministers have agreed to consider the policy as part of an ongoing review, as approximately 4,000 children annually require extended hospital stays. Brentford Football Club is the first UK company to adopt the principles of Hugh's Law.