Money help for new parents: grants, benefits and free NHS care

Having a baby is expensive, and the help on offer is spread across lots of different schemes. Here’s a round-up of what you might be able to get, with links to our detailed guides. Amounts are for 2026 to 2027, and some schemes are different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Pay while you’re off work

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP): up to 39 weeks from your employer, starting at 90% of your average weekly earnings for 6 weeks. See Statutory Maternity Pay explained.
Maternity Allowance: up to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, from the government, if you can’t get SMP, including if you’re self-employed. See Maternity Allowance explained or our side-by-side comparison.
Statutory Paternity Pay: £194.32 a week, or 90% of average weekly earnings if that’s less, for up to 2 weeks. See paternity leave.
Shared Parental Leave and Pay: lets you share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between you.
Neonatal Care Leave and Pay: if your baby is admitted to neonatal care within 28 days of birth and stays for at least 7 full days in a row, each eligible parent can take up to 12 weeks of extra leave, one week for each full week your baby is in care. Pay is £194.32 a week, or 90% of earnings if that’s less, if you meet the conditions, including 26 weeks with your employer. This applies in England, Scotland and Wales.

Child Benefit

£27.05 a week for your eldest or only child and £17.90 for each child after that. You can claim 48 hours after you’ve registered the birth, and it can only be backdated 3 months. Even if you or your partner earn over £60,000, it’s usually worth claiming for the National Insurance credits. See the High Income Child Benefit Charge explained.

Grants for a new baby

Sure Start Maternity Grant (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

A one-off £500 payment if you or your partner get Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (or some other support), and you usually have no other children under 16. You may still get it if you’re expecting twins or more and already have children. You can claim from 11 weeks before your due date until your baby is 6 months old. You don’t pay it back, and it doesn’t affect your other benefits.

Pregnancy and Baby Payment (Scotland)

If you live in Scotland and get certain benefits, you can get £796.65 for your first child, or £398.35 for each later child. You can apply from the end of the 24th week of pregnancy until your baby is 6 months old. Scottish Child Payment adds £28.20 a week for each child under 16 for families on certain benefits.

Help with food and vitamins

Healthy Start (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, and get certain benefits on a low income, you can get money on a card to spend on milk, fruit, vegetables, pulses and infant formula, plus free vitamins. If you’re under 18 and more than 10 weeks pregnant, you can get it without being on benefits until your baby is born. After that, you’ll need to get a qualifying benefit. From April 2026 it’s £4.65 a week while you’re pregnant and for children aged 1 to 4, and £9.30 a week for babies under 1. Ask your midwife or health visitor, or apply on the Healthy Start website.

Best Start Foods (Scotland)

A payment card topped up every 4 weeks: £22.40 while you’re pregnant, £44.80 for each child under 1, and £22.40 for each child aged 1 to 3.

Free prescriptions and dental care

In England, you can get free NHS prescriptions and free NHS dental treatment while you’re pregnant and for 12 months after your baby is born. You’ll need a maternity exemption certificate. Ask your midwife, doctor or health visitor, and they’ll apply for you. It lasts until 12 months after your due date, or 12 months after the birth if you apply after your baby is born. If your baby arrives late, contact NHSBSA with a copy of the birth certificate and they’ll extend it. If you have a miscarriage or stillbirth, you can keep using it for free prescriptions until it runs out, but you may need to pay NHS dental charges.

Prescriptions are free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. NHS dental treatment is also free while you’re pregnant and for 12 months after the birth in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Universal Credit

If you’re on Universal Credit, tell them when your baby is born, as your payment may go up. Maternity Allowance is taken off your Universal Credit in full, while SMP counts as earnings. When you go back to work, Universal Credit can pay up to 85% of your childcare costs, up to £1,071.09 a month for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more.

Help with childcare when you go back

Free childcare for working parents (England): 30 hours a week, for 38 weeks of the year, for children from 9 months to 4 years old. You and your partner must each expect to earn at least £2,643.68 over the next 3 months (if you’re 21 or over), and neither of you can have an adjusted net income over £100,000.
Tax-Free Childcare: for every £8 you pay into your account, the government adds £2, up to £2,000 a year for each child aged 11 or under (£4,000 a year, up to age 16, if your child is disabled). You can’t get it at the same time as Universal Credit or childcare vouchers. You can usually apply while you’re on maternity leave, ahead of going back.

Tax-Free Childcare is available across the UK. The 30 hours scheme is for England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own funded childcare schemes, so check your local council or government website.

Check what you’re entitled to

Use a free, independent benefits calculator to see what you could get. Citizens Advice can help you claim. And don’t forget to register your baby’s birth: you have 42 days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 21 days in Scotland.

Questions people ask

Is the Sure Start Maternity Grant for every baby?

No. You usually need to have no other children under 16 (or be expecting a multiple birth), and you or your partner need to be on certain benefits.

Do I get free prescriptions when I’m pregnant?

In England, yes, once you have a maternity exemption certificate. Prescriptions are free for everyone in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Can I get Healthy Start if I’m working?

Possibly. If you’re on Universal Credit, you can qualify if your family’s take-home pay from work is £408 or less a month.

When should I apply for free childcare?

Check the dates on GOV.UK well before your return. Places can fill up, so it’s worth looking at nurseries and childminders early.