Quick guide to the main benefits and entitlements
Financial help |
Who can get it |
More information |
|---|---|---|
| For all families | ||
| Health in Pregnancy Grant | Lump sum of £190 for nearly all expectant mums, provided you get health advice | Your midwife or doctor Tel: 0845 366 7885 www.hmrc.gov.uk/ hipg |
| Free prescriptions and dental treatment | Women while pregnant and within one year of birth. Children under 16 (or 19 if in full-time education). Prescriptions are free for all in Wales | Complete the form at the pharmacy or dentist |
| Free eye tests and vouchers for glasses | Children under 16 (or 19 if in full-time education) | Complete the form at the opticians |
| Child benefit | Anyone responsible for a child | Tel: 0845 302 1444 www.hmrc.gov.uk/ childbenefit |
| Child tax credit1 | Family with children and income less than £58,175* (or £66,350* where child is under one) | Tel: 0845 300 3900 www.hmrc.gov.uk/ taxcredits |
| Free part-time early education place | For children aged 3 and 4 in England | See Useful contacts |
| Travel to school | For children under 8 travelling two or more miles to school and older children travelling at least three miles | Local education authority/ local education and library board |
Depending on circumstances |
||
| Statutory maternity pay (SMP) | Expectant and new mums who work. 39 weeks’ pay (but usually less than your normal pay) while on maternity leave | Your employer |
| Maternity allowance | Expectant and new mums who work but are not eligible for SMP (for example because your income is very low or you are self-employed) | Jobcentre Plus/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Statutory paternity pay (SPP) | New dads who work. Two weeks’ pay (either linked to earnings or a flat rate, whichever is less) while on paternity leave | Your employer |
| Widowed parent’s allowance | Bereaved wives, husbands or civil partners responsible for child(ren), whose late partner paid enough National Insurance | Jobcentre Plus/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
For families on low income |
||
| Healthy Start free vitamins and vouchers for milk, fruit and veg | Expectant mums and families with children under 4 on certain benefits, provided you get health advice. Also pregnant women under age 18, whether or not on benefits | Your midwife or doctor Tel: 0845 607 6823 www.healthystart. nhs.uk |
| Sure Start Maternity Grant | Lump sum of £500 for expectant or new mums | Jobcentre Plus/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Working tax credit2 | Single parent working at least 16 hours a week, or couple with children where one or both adults works at least 16 hours a week, whose income when any childcare costs have been taken into account is low | Tel: 0845 300 3900 www.hmrc.gov.uk/ taxcredits (see Tax credits) |
| Income support | Single parent not working (or working less than 16 hours a week) and whose youngest child is under 12 (falling to 10 from October 2009 and 7 from October 2010) | Jobcentre Plus/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Income-based jobseeker’s allowance | Family where no-one is working more than 16 (or in some cases 24) hours a week, but at least one adult is seeking work | Jobcentre Plus/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Housing benefit and housing allowance | Household paying rent | Jobcentre Plus or local authority/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Council tax benefit | Person responsible for paying council tax | Jobcentre Plus or local authority/ Jobs and Benefits Office |
| Free school meals | Midday food for children where parents are getting certain benefits | Local education authority/local education and library board |
| School uniform grant | Local authorities set their own rules and not all offer grants | Local education authority/local education and library board |
| Education maintenance allowance | Up to £30* a week for young people over 16 in further education or training | See Useful contacts or http://ema.direct. gov.uk |
| Free prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and vouchers for glasses | Members of families getting income support, income-based jobseeker’s allowance and, in some cases, tax credits. Prescriptions are free for all in Wales | Form from Jobcentre Plus/Jobs and Benefits Office. If on tax credits you should automatically receive an exemption certificate |
1 Nine out of ten families with children qualify, but not those on the highest incomes (cut off varies depending on the size of your family and your childcare costs).
2 You may still count as working and so claim working tax credit while on paid maternity or paternity leave.
*Rates shown are for the tax year 6 April 2009 to 5 April 2010.
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