Benefits for parents

If you’re struggling to make ends meet, find out if you’re missing out on any support you might be eligible to get.

Get in touch and we can help you see what benefits you might be eligible for or try out our benefits calculator.

It might be more than you realise.

You can get child benefit for each of your kids until:

• 31 August on or after they turn 16
• they turn 20 if they stay in approved education or training

There’s no limit to the number of children you can get child benefit for.

Child benefit is currently worth:

• £27.05 a week for the eldest or only child
• £17.90 a week for each additional child

You don't need to be working to qualify, but you may get less if you or your partner earn over £60,000 a year.

Find out more about child benefit.

You can no longer make a new claim for child tax credit, but you can apply for the child element of universal credit instead.

If you were receiving tax credits, HMRC should have been in touch about your claim ending and information on what you need to do next.

Find out more about applying for universal credit.

Since the two-child limit was scrapped in 2026, you can usually get the child element of universal credit for every child you’re responsible for, rather than just your first two children.

If you’re eligible, you’ll get: 

• £351.88 per month for your first child if they were born before 6 April 2017
• £303.94 per month per child (for children born on or after 6 April 2017)

You may also be able to get extra universal credit if your child has a disability.

Find out more about applying for universal credit.

If your child is under 16 and needs extra help because of a disability, they might be able to get disability living allowance (DLA).

DLA is paid in two parts - the ‘care component’ and the ‘mobility component’.

The amount they’ll get depends on their specific needs as each component is paid at different rates.

Once your child turns 16, they’ll normally be invited to apply for personal independence payment (PIP) instead.

They should receive a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions inviting them to apply.

If they apply by the deadline in the letter, their DLA can continue while their PIP claim is assessed.

You may be eligible for up to 30 hours of free childcare a week through the free childcare for working parents scheme if:

• your child is aged between 9 months and four years old
• you live in England
• you, and your partner if you have one, are working or about to start a job
• you both earn above the minimum income threshold

You can apply from the point your child is 23 weeks old.

If you’re not working but your partner is, you might still qualify for free childcare if you’re on carer’s leave or if you get:

• incapacity benefit
• severe disablement allowance
• carer’s allowance
• limited capability for work benefit
• contribution-based employment and support allowance

To apply, you’ll need:

• a national insurance number
• to set up a childcare account
• details about your income and employment

Once approved, you must reconfirm your details every three months through your childcare account.

If you don’t renew your eligibility, your funded childcare may stop.

You’ll also need to earn a certain amount - check out the eligibility criteria to see if you qualify.

Free childcare for two-year-olds if you claim benefits

If you have a two-year-old, you can get 15 hours’ free childcare a week if you're claiming one of these:

• income support
• income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• universal credit (household income under £15,400 a year after tax)
• the guaranteed element of pension credit
• child tax credit, working tax credit (or both) – your household income must be under £16,190 a year before tax
• working tax credit run-on

A two-year-old can also get free childcare if they:

• have an education, health and care plan
• get disability living allowance
• are looked after by a local authority
• have left care e.g. under an adoption order, special guardianship order or a child arrangements order

Ask your provider if you’ll need to pay for extra cost, such as nappies or meals.

Eligibility varies, so it’s worth checking if you qualify.

You can get tax-free childcare even if you’re already claiming free childcare hours if you’re eligible for both.

You can use tax-free childcare to cover the costs of approved childcare, such as childminders, nurseries, nannies or after-school clubs and play schemes.

To get tax-free childcare, you’ll need to set up an online childcare account.

For every £8 you pay into your childcare account, the government adds £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year.

You can get up to £500 every three months for each of your kids.

If your child has disabilities, this amount is doubled to £1,000 every three months (£4,000 a year).

See if you’re eligible for tax-free childcare.

You might be able to get a one-off payment to help towards the cost of having children if you’re expecting your first child or:

• you’re having twins and you already have a child under 16
• you’re having triplets and you already have kids

Most people will get £500. This increases to £1,000 if you’re expecting triplets and already have a child.

You don’t need to pay the money back and it won’t affect your entitlement to other benefits.

To qualify, you or your partner will need to be claiming one of the following benefits:

• income support
• income-based jobseeker’s allowance
• income-related employment and support allowance
• pension credit
• child tax credit
• working tax credit that includes a disability or severe disability element
• universal credit

You can claim the grant from 11 weeks before your baby’s due date up to six months after they’re born.

See if you qualify for a Sure Start maternity grant.

If you receive certain benefits - or you’re under 18 and pregnant - you might qualify for Healthy Start, which helps parents provide nutritious food for their children (up to the age of four).

Eligible parents will be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that will be topped up every four weeks.

This money can then be spent on: 

• plain liquid cow’s milk
• fresh, frozen and tinned fruit and vegetables
• fresh, dried and tinned pulses
• infant formula (based on cow’s milk)
• Healthy Start vitamins to support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• vitamin drops suitable from birth to 4 years old

 Find out how to apply for Healthy Start.

If your child is in reception, year 1 or year 2 in England, they automatically receive universal infant free school meals.

This means all children in these year groups can get free school lunches regardless of your income or benefits.

And from September 2026, children in Year 3 from households receiving universal credit can get free school meals, regardless of household earnings.

If your child gets free school meals, they’ll also qualify for the holiday activity and food programme.

Details of how to apply for free school meals can be found on your local council’s website.

When your child leaves secondary school, they may still be eligible for free school meals if they’re aged between 16 and 19 and going to a government-funded sixth form or further education college, as long as you get either universal credit or guarantee credit.

Child benefit can continue until your child turns 20, but only if they stay in approved full-time education or training.

Once your child finishes their course or leaves education or training, your payments will end - even if they’re under 20.

You could also stop getting child benefit if they switch to a course that’s not approved or they may drop out early.

Let HMRC know as soon as your child leaves their course or training.

Otherwise, you might get more money than you should and be expected to repay it later on.

Find out more about when child benefit stops.