Family Benefits

What is child benefit?

Child benefit is a tax free, weekly family benefit payment made to anybody who has a child in the UK.

How much child benefit will I get?

The rates of child benefit is £18.10 per week for the first child and then £12.10 per week for any additional children after that.

Will I get child benefit for every child I have?

You get child benefit for every child you have, but you get more child benefit for the first child than you do for any subsequent children.

What is a maternity grant?

A maternity grant is a one-off cash family benefit to help with the cost of having and raising a baby. A maternity grant is paid at the rate of £500, from the Social Fund and directly to a bank account. It does not need to be repaid.

Is anyone eligible for a maternity grant?

Not everybody is eligible for a maternity grant, as it depends on your financial situation. A maternity grant is a means tested family benefit.

What is a means tested benefit?

A means tested benefit is a state benefit which is payable dependant on how much income and other assets you have in your household. A means test benefit is usually only available for people on a very low income with no savings.

When can I claim a maternity grant?

You can claim a maternity grant at any point on from the 29th week of your pregnancy. To claim a maternity grant you need to fill in Form SF100 which is available from your local Job Centre Plus.

What is maternity allowance?

Maternity allowance is a state family benefit which is paid to people who are not eligible for statutory maternity pay. Maternity allowance is paid at a rate of 90% of your average earnings or £108.85 per week, whichever is lower.

Who is eligible for maternity allowance?

You are eligible for maternity allowance if you've worked for 26 weeks out of the last 66 weeks. This can be either work through employment or self-employment.

When can I claim for maternity allowance?

You can claim maternity allowance anytime from when you are twenty six weeks pregnant onwards. You can backdate a maternity allowance from anytime up to three months after that twenty six weeks.

What is Home Responsibilities Protection?

Home Responsibilities Protection is a way of protecting your entitlement to a basic state pension when you retire. If you're not working and not paying national insurance contributions, you would lose that entitlement to part of the basic state pension, so Home Responsibilities Protection is just a way of making sure you still get it.