What can I claim when I have a child?

You can get Child Benefit if you are responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16, or under 20 if they are in approved education or training. There is no limit to how many children you can claim for. Only one person can claim Child Benefit for a child. If the child lives with more than one parent or carer, you should decide who claims Child Benefit. If you cannot decide HMRC will make a decision for you. If you or your partner have an individual annual income of more than £60,000 (£50,000 prior to 6 April 2024) you may have to pay some of your Child Benefit back in tax. You can claim Child Benefit at the same time as other benefits. You can find out more about Child Benefit and how to claim here.

If you live in Scotland you may also be entitled to a Scottish Child Payment.

Universal Credit is the main benefit for people on a low income who are not already on other benefits or Tax Credits. You can receive Universal Credit if you are unemployed or working. If you are on other benefits or Tax Credits you should get further advice as you could end up worse off if you claim Universal Credit.

Universal Credit is usually a monthly payment to cover your living costs. How much you get will depend on your circumstances. It takes into account your whole household income and savings. You can’t get Universal Credit if you and/or a partner you live with have more than £16,000 in savings or other assets. Your Universal Credit payment is made up of a ‘basic allowance’ but you may get more money if you have children, pay for childcare, rent your home, have a disability or health condition, or if you are a carer or care for a disabled child.

However, your Universal Credit may be reduced because of the benefit cap, and you will not usually get extra Universal Credit for a third or subsequent child born on or after 6 April 2017. However, from April 2026 you will be able to claim for all of your children.

If you are entitled to Universal Credit you may be able to claim help with childcare costs if you work.

You cannot make a new claim for Housing Benefit unless you are over State Pension age or live in certain types of supported or temporary accommodation. If you already have an existing claim for Housing Benefit you can continue to get it when you have a child.

If you are renting and/or have service charges and you are not currently getting Housing Benefit, you may be able to claim help with housing costs through Universal Credit.

Housing Benefit may be reduced if the total amount of your benefits is higher than the benefit cap. However, the cap shouldn’t be applied if you are exempt, for example, if you get Working Tax Credit, or you, your partner or a child are on disability benefits.

If you are in England, Wales or Scotland, you may be able to get help with the Council Tax via council tax reduction. You are more likely to qualify for this help once you have a child. If you live in Northern Ireland, you should check whether you can get any help with the rates.

If you have recently had your first baby or adopted a child and don’t have other children under 16, you may be able to claim a Sure Start Maternity Grant if you are on benefits including Universal Credit. If you live in Scotland, you may be able to claim a Best Start Grant instead (payable for other children too, not just your first baby, and payable at other stages in a child’s life).

You may be entitled to the Healthy Start scheme (Best Start foods in Scotland) if you are on benefits including Universal Credit and you meet other conditions. This can help with the costs of certain items, including fruit, vegetables, milk, and infant formula.

You may be eligible for help with health costs, such as prescriptions, glasses and dental treatment if you are on benefits, including Universal Credit.

You may qualify for free school meals if you’re on Universal Credit (or one of the old benefits it replaces).

You could get money off your electricity bill for winter under the Warm Home Discount Scheme if you get certain benefits or if you have a low income.

If you need advice about what you can claim if you are responsible for a child you can ring our helpline or contact us on our advice form.

To work out what benefits you might be entitled to you can use a benefits calculator.

You can also get further advice from Citizens Advice.

If you are a lone parent, you can contact Gingerbread or in Scotland One Parent Families Scotland.

If you are a carer, Carers UK may be able to help you. If you are an older parent or carer, you could contact Age UK.

If you need advice about benefits for families of disabled children, you can contact Contact helpline 0808 808 3555.

If you have applied for any of the benefits listed above and you have been told that you are not entitled and you disagree, you can challenge it. To do so, you need to request a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date of the decision. You can request it verbally over the phone by calling the number provided on the decision letter, however, it is always best to make a request in writing on the relevant form or your Universal Credit online account. If you’ve missed the deadline, it is still worth asking for a mandatory reconsideration as there are circumstances where you may be able to make an out of time request if you have good reasons for why you are late. For more detailed advice, contact the Citizens Advice.