Families

1.Child Benefit

Child Benefit is for those with dependent children (under 16) and earn under £60,000. Find out more about Child Benefit and how to claim.

When having a baby there is financial help you may be entitled to:

• Maternity pay and leave.
• Paternity pay and leave.
• Shared parental leave and pay.
• Plan your shared parental leave and pay.
• Maternity allowance.
• Sure Start Maternity Grant.
• Guardians allowance.

Find out more about financial help if you have children and how to apply.

If you live in Scotland you might be entitled to the Scottish Child Payment. Find out more here

2.Universal Credit

You may be able to receive additional income from Universal Credit and it can also provide you with other additional support and discounts.

If you receive Universal Credit and you’re pregnant or have a child, you might receive:

• Free early education for 2 year olds.
• Free school meals.
• Healthy Start vouchers (in England and Wales) if you’re pregnant or have a child under 4 years old.
• Best Start Foods and a Best Start Grant (in Scotland) if you’re pregnant or have a child under 4 years old.
• Sure Start Maternity Grant in England and Wales.
• Pregnancy and Baby payment in Scotland.
• Up to £1,200 bonus for saving -The Help to Save account, anyone on Universal Credit can put away between £1 and £50 every month and you get a 50% bonus on top.

Find out more and how to claim other financial support.

3.Disability Living Allowance for children

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:

• is under 16.
• has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability.
• meet all the eligibility requirements.

In Scotland - You need to apply for Child Disability Payment instead of DLA for children. If you currently get DLA for children and young people living in Scotland.

In Scotland - If you're the parent, primary carer or sibling (aged under 18) of a young inpatient under the age of 18 receiving hospital care, you can claim for the costs of travel and foo with the Young Patients Family Fund

4.Additional benefits

If you are working on a low income or on welfare benefits you may be entitled to additional financial support such as Childcare costs

We have further information in our Support for Families section including Holiday Activities Food Programmes, Free School meals and Back to School advice.

You can check what you might be entitled to by using a benefits calculator.

Or you can contact our team who are trained to help people access the state benefits they are entitled to. Simply fill in the Services Contact Form or you can call us on 0800 0093 8543 and one of the team will be in touch.  

All advice is free and fully confidential.

The helpline is open 9am – 4.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Open 10am – 4.30pm on Wednesday. Excludes bank holidays.