what benefits to enroll in when you have a baby

There are lots of benefits and entitlements bachelor when y'all're meaning or have a baby. You too qualify for benefits if you're significant and unemployed or on a low income.

What benefits can I claim when I'1000 pregnant?

Free prescriptions and NHS dental treatment

What is it?

• Free NHS dental care in the UK while you're pregnant and for a year after the baby is born.
• In England, you lot qualify for gratis prescriptions while y'all're pregnant and for a twelvemonth afterward the baby is born.
• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, you qualify for free prescriptions at all times (whether or not you're meaning).

Who gets information technology?

All women who are pregnant or who gave birth less than a year ago.

How to claim

Make full out the Maternity Exemption grade (FW8) – available from your doc or midwife.

What benefits can I claim if I'm working and having a baby?

Paid time off for antenatal care

What is it?

Regardless of how long you've been in your chore, you have a right to paid time off from work to go to your antenatal appointments.

This time off is as well as your annual get out.

Antenatal care includes:

• medical and midwife appointments
• doctor-recommended appointments – for example, relaxation or parenting classes.

Your fourth dimension off should include travel time to and from each appointment.

The baby's male parent or your partner (this includes same-sex activity partners) are entitled to accept unpaid time off work to become with yous to two of your antenatal appointments. The maximum time is capped at vi hours and 30 minutes for each engagement.

Who gets it?

How to claim

Tell your employer when your antenatal appointments are happening. Try to give them as much discover every bit you tin can to help with work planning.

It might exist a good idea to get during placidity times at work, or outside working hours if you can.

Find out more nigh paid time off for antenatal intendance:

• In England, Wales and Scotland, on the GOV.UK website
• In Northern Ireland, on the nidirect website

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Statutory Maternity Leave and Pay

What is Statutory Maternity Leave and Pay?

When you lot accept a baby, you're entitled to a year's maternity leave and pay from your employer for up to 39 weeks while you're on leave, if yous're eligible.

Who gets it?

Employed pregnant women.

To get Statutory Maternity Pay you lot must take:

• average earnings of at least £123 per week, and
• been working for your employer for at least 26 weeks.

How much is Statutory Maternity Pay?

Yous get Statutory Maternity Pay for 39 weeks of your 52-week maternity leave.

The table below shows how much Statutory Motherhood Pay is in the 2022/23 tax twelvemonth:

90% of your average weekly earnings before taxation

£156.66 or xc% of your average weekly earnings - whichever is less

The next 13 weeks (if taken)

How to merits

To become maternity get out, you need to tell your employer when yous want to stop working past the 15th week before the baby's due date.

You demand to requite your employer at least 28 days' notice that you want to kickoff Statutory Motherhood Pay and give them proof you're meaning.

Motherhood Allowance

What is Maternity Allowance?

A fortnightly or monthly payment from the authorities if you tin't claim Statutory Maternity Pay.

Who gets information technology?

Pregnant women and new mums who can't claim Statutory Maternity Pay because:

• you haven't worked for your employer for long enough
• you're cocky-employed
• your average pay is less than £123 per week.

How much is Maternity Assart?

The amount yous become is based on how much you earn.

Depending on your earnings, in the 2022/23 tax yr you could get either:

• £156.66 a calendar week or 90% of your average weekly earnings – whichever is less – for up to 39 weeks
• £27 a week for up to 14 weeks.

How to merits

If you lot live in England, Wales or Scotland, call 0800 055 6688 or make full in the Maternity Allowance (MA1) claim form on the GOV.UK website

If you live in Northern Republic of ireland, call 02890 823 318 for a course or download ane from the nidirect website

Statutory Paternity Leave and Pay

What is Statutory Paternity Get out and Pay?

I or ii weeks' paid time off work and so y'all can help await after your new baby.

Who gets it?

You must be:

• the kid's biological father or adopter
• the mother'due south partner
• the intended parent – if yous're having a infant through surrogacy.

You lot must also:

• have worked for your employer for 26 weeks by the 15th week earlier the baby is due
• be employed by your employer until the baby is born
• earn at least £123 a week.

In that location are dissimilar rules if you lot adopt:

• If you alive in England, Ireland or Scotland, find out more on the GOV.United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland website
• If you live in Northern Republic of ireland, discover out more at nidirect

How much is Statutory Paternity Pay

Yous get Statutory Paternity Pay for i or two weeks of your paternity get out.

In the 2022/23 tax year, y'all'll become £156.66 a week or ninety% of your average weekly earnings – whichever is lower.

How to claim

Requite your employer grade SC3 at least 15 weeks earlier the week the babe is due:

• If you live in England, Wales or Scotland, get the course SC3 on the GOV.UK website
• If you live in Northern Ireland, download the form SC3 from nidirect

At that place are different rules if you prefer:

• If y'all live in England, Ireland or Scotland, detect out more than on the GOV.Britain website
• If you live in Northern Ireland, find out more than on NI Direct

Shared Parental Get out and Pay

What is Shared Parental Leave and Pay?

Up to l weeks' parental leave and 37 weeks' pay shared with your partner, if yous're eligible.

Who gets it?

You tin can get Statutory Shared Parental Pay if you're employed and you're eligible for either:

• Statutory Maternity Pay or Statutory Adoption Pay
• Statutory Paternity Pay and your partner is eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance or Statutory Adoption Pay.

Before either parent can get Shared Parental Leave or Pay the female parent (or the person getting adoption leave) must either:

• return to piece of work, which ends any maternity or adoption leave, or
• give their employer 'binding observe' of the date when they plan to finish their leave (you cannot normally change the date yous requite in bounden notice).

How much is Statutory Shared Parental Pay?

In the 2022/23 tax yr, you'll become £156.66 per week or 90% of your boilerplate weekly earnings – whichever is lower.

How to claim

You must give notice to your employer in writing if you lot desire Statutory Shared Parental Leave and Pay.

If you lot live in England, Wales or Scotland, there are downloadable forms you tin can use to give notice on the GOV.UK website

If yous alive in Northern Ireland, get to nidirect

Find out more most Statutory Shared Parental Leave and Pay on the GOV.UK website

Statutory Adoption Go out and Pay

What is Statutory Adoption Leave and Pay?

When you lot adopt or have a child through surrogacy, you're entitled to a year off piece of work and up to 39 weeks' Statutory Adoption Pay.

Who gets it?

Only i person in a couple tin have adoption leave and pay. The other person could be eligible for paternity exit and pay.

You must be an employee and take been:

• working for your employer for 26 weeks past the time you're matched with a child, or by the 15th week before the baby is due
• earning an average of at to the lowest degree £123 a week.

How much is Statutory Adoption Pay?

You get Statutory Adoption Pay for upwards to 39 weeks of your Statutory Adoption Go out.

The table beneath shows how much Statutory Adoption Pay is in the 2022/23 tax yr:

90% of your average weekly earnings before taxation

£156.66 or xc% of your average weekly earnings - whichever is less

The next 13 weeks (if taken)

How to claim

Tell your employer yous want to have adoption exit and when you want it to start.

You lot should tell them within seven days of being told by the adoption agency you've been matched with a child.

If y'all use a surrogate to have a baby, tell your employer the due date and when you want to kickoff your get out at to the lowest degree fifteen weeks before the baby is due.

Working Tax Credit

Working Tax Credit is a payment from the regime to help top up your earnings if you work and are on a low income. It'south being replaced by Universal Credit.

If you're making a new merits you now accept to apply for Universal Credit instead of Working Tax Credit.

If you're already claiming Working Tax Credit and are having a infant, this might qualify as a change in circumstances. You'll have to tell HMRC about this modify – and you lot might be asked to brand a new claim for Universal Credit.

What benefits can I merits if I'one thousand not working or on a low income?

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is being replaced past Universal Credit. This means yous have to claim Universal Credit instead.

Only if you've made enough National Insurance contributions, you might qualify for New Style Employment and Support Allowance. If you demand extra back up with other costs – for example, your rent or bringing up children, you might exist able to claim Universal Credit alongside New Style ESA.

Income Support

You at present have to make a new claim for Universal Credit instead of Income Support.

If you don't authorize for Maternity Assart or Statutory Maternity Pay, are unemployed and can't look for work, or on a low income, you lot might exist able to merits Universal Credit while you're significant.

Apply the benefits reckoner from Turn2us to run into what you might qualify for.

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Certain Beginning Maternity Grant

What is the Sure Commencement Maternity Grant?

A one-off £500 payment from the Social Fund to aid with the cost of your baby.

If you live in Scotland, this has been replaced with the Best Get-go Grant.

Who gets the Sure Start Maternity Grant?

You lot'll get the grant if your new baby is the but child under xvi in your family unit and you or your partner get ane of the following benefits:

• Pension Credit
• Income Back up
• Universal Credit
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Taxation Credit at a college rate than the family element
• Working Tax Credit which includes a disability or severe disability element.

There are more rules if you're adopting or becoming a surrogate parent.

Discover out more on the GOV.Uk website

How to claim?

Best Start Grant and Best Outset Foods (Scotland only)

Best Start Grant and Best Showtime Foods provide lower-income families with financial back up during the key early years of a child'due south life

Who gets it?

If you lot're under 18, you tin apply for Best Outset Grant or All-time Start Foods – fifty-fifty if you're not receiving whatever payments or benefits.

If you're over eighteen, yous can apply if you're getting any of the post-obit benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Assart
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Alimony Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Kid Revenue enhancement Credit
• Working Revenue enhancement Credit.

Yous tin can't get a Best Offset Grant or Best Beginning Foods if yous only get Kid Benefit.

Income limits also apply if y'all want to claim Best Starting time Foods.

Detect out more virtually the Best Start Grant, All-time Start Foods and income limits on the mygov.scot website

How much is the Best Start Grant?

The Pregnancy and Baby Payment element is:

• £606 for a outset baby and £303 for a new infant if you have older children living with you
• £303 for any subsequent children
• The Early on Learning Payment will be £250 per kid

The School Historic period Payment will exist £252.fifty per child.

(2022/23 figures)

What is Best Kickoff Foods?

Best Start Foods is a prepaid carte du jour to buy healthy foods for children under three. Information technology can exist used online or in shops. Yous will get:

• £18 every 4 weeks during pregnancy
• £36 every 4 weeks from when your child is born until they're 1 year old
• £18 every four weeks betwixt the ages of one and 3.

(2022/23 figures)

How to claim

You can use for All-time Commencement Grant and All-time Start Foods online, past phone or by filling out the newspaper form.

To find out more virtually applying for Best First Grant and Foods on the mygov.scot website

Healthy First Schemes (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

The NHS Healthy Commencement scheme pays eligible families with young children (or expecting a child) up to £8.50 a week to assistance pay for 'healthy' foods such every bit fruit, vegetables and milk. You too go costless vitamin supplements.

On 10 March the Healthy Start schemeOpens in a new window inverse from using paper vouchers to a contactless Mastercard prepaid card. If you're already receiving newspaper vouchers you will need to apply online for your carte du jour. Vouchers can be used until their printed expiry date.

What can the Healthy Start payments be used for?

The weekly payment on your prepaid card can exist used towards:

• milk – manifestly cow's milk, whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed pasteurised, sterilised, long-life or ultra-heat treated (UHT)
• plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables
• babe formula
• vitamins – pregnant women, women with a child under 12 months and children aged upwardly to 4 years who are receiving Healthy Get-go payments are entitled to free Healthy Commencement vitamins – one canteen every viii weeks.

You tin merely use the cards in shops (non online) that sell milk, babe formula, fruit, and vegetables and you lot can't withdraw cash from the card.

Who is eligible for the payments?

You'll get the payments if you're at to the lowest degree ten weeks pregnant or have a child under iv and yous and your family get one of the post-obit benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment Support Assart (if yous're pregnant)
• Child Revenue enhancement Credit – if your family unit's income is £16,190 or less and you lot're not getting Working Taxation Credit
• Working Taxation Credit – if yous're receiving Working Tax Credit run-on. A run-on might be paid to you in the four weeks later on you've stopped working enough hours to qualify for Working Tax Credit
• Universal Credit – if your household is earning £408 or less a month
• Working Tax Credit run-on. This is the payment you receive for four weeks after y'all've stopped working for 16 hours or more than each week (unmarried adults)
• Pension Credit (which includes the Child addition).

Yous besides qualify for Good for you Start Food payments if yous're non getting one of these benefits yourself simply y'all live with your partner and they go the benefit.

If you're under 18 and pregnant, you can as well get Healthy Start payments – even if you lot don't get whatever of the benefits listed above.

If you're not a British citizen but your child is, you might even so be able to go Salubrious Start payments. Find out more past scrolling to the bottom of this page on the NHS Healthy StartOpens in a new window website.

How much are Good for you Beginning food payments?

• significant women (from the 10th week) and children anile i to four go £4.25 a week
• children under 1 get £viii.fifty a week.

(2021/22 figures)

How to claim

Yous will need to apply for your Salubrious Start card online from the NHS Healthy OffsetOpens in a new window website. You must register for a bill of fare fifty-fifty if y'all previously claimed paper vouchers.

If you demand more information yous tin also speak to your midwife, health company or doctor, or phone call Healthy Beginning on 0300 330 7010 or cheque out the NHS Healthy Start websiteOpens in a new window

Help with schoolhouse transport

You might be able to go assistance with the costs of your child's school transport. This depends on how far you live from the school, the age of the child and any disabilities.

You might exist able to get extra support if you're on a low income or challenge benefits.

If you live in England or Wales, y'all can check your eligibility on your local council's website. Find your local council on the GOV.UK website

If you live in Northern Ireland, visit the Education Authority website

If y'all live in Scotland, go to the mygov.scot website

Scottish Kid Payment

If you alive in Scotland, you or your partner are claiming sure benefits, and you or your partner are the master person looking after a child aged under six then you might be eligible to claim a £20 weekly payment for every child under six.

If you lot are successful, you will exist paid every four weeks.

What benefits can I claim when I've had a babe?

Child Do good

What is Child Do good?

Kid Benefit is a regular payment of money from the government to help with the toll of raising a child.

Only one person tin can claim Kid Benefit – and you can merits for every child you're responsible for.

Who gets information technology?

Anyone responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they're in education or training).

How much is Child Benefit?

The rates for the 2022/23 tax year are:

• £21.80 a week for the eldest or only kid
• £14.45 a week for each additional child.

How to claim

If either of you earns over £fifty,000 a yr

If either you or your partner has an income of more than than £50,000 a year, yous'll have to pay dorsum some or all your Child Benefit in the form of extra Income Taxation. Only it could notwithstanding be worth applying to help protect your state pension.

Child Tax Credit

Child Taxation Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit for all new claims. Y'all may be able to claim the child element of UC for up to two children until they reach the historic period of 19 (or 20 in some cases) and are in full-fourth dimension approved education or training – not at university.

If you're already getting Child Tax Credit, you lot'll need to tell HMRC when the baby's born and you lot might be asked to claim Universal Credit instead.

If you lot have three or more than children, you can claim for all of them if they were born before 6 April 2017.

You lot usually won't be able to claim Universal Credit for 3rd or subsequent babies, except in limited circumstances, including a multiple birth, adopting or becoming a kinship carer.

What benefits tin I merits if I'one thousand studying?

Take you had a baby and are at college or academy? And then y'all could qualify for fiscal help. This could cover everything from living expenses and learning costs to travel and childcare grants.

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Source: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/benefits/benefits-if-you-have-children/benefits-and-entitlements-to-claim-when-you-have-a-baby

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