Help with Baby Costs: UK Schemes Worth Checking
Having a baby brings enough things to keep track of. Here’s a simple overview of government support that may help with food, healthcare and childcare costs. Choose where you live, find what’s relevant to your family, then check the official rules before applying.
Before you start
Last checked 9 October 2026. Floreo is independent of government. This is a starting point, not a complete benefits check or an eligibility decision. Confirm current rules and deadlines with the official service.
Tax-Free Childcare and Universal Credit cannot be claimed together. Check how support interacts before changing an existing claim.
The full list below labels each scheme by country. With JavaScript enabled, choose your country to filter the list.
Child Benefit
Where: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
2026–27 weekly rates: £27.05 a week for your eldest or only child, and £17.90 for each additional child.
Helps with: Regular support towards the costs of bringing up a child.
Who should check: Parents or carers responsible for a baby or child. Residence and family circumstances affect the rules.
Higher earners should check the High Income Child Benefit Charge before deciding whether to receive payments. It can apply if either partner’s adjusted net income exceeds £60,000; at £80,000 or more it equals the full payment. You can still claim and opt out of payments to protect any National Insurance credits you qualify for.
Sure Start Maternity Grant
Where: England, Wales.
How much?: A £500 one-off grant. Different amounts can apply to eligible multiple births.
Helps with: A one-off payment towards the costs of having a baby.
Who should check: Families receiving certain benefits, usually with no other children under 16. There are exceptions, including some multiple births.
Check the claim window before applying.
Sure Start Maternity Grant
Where: Northern Ireland.
How much?: A £500 one-off grant for an eligible first child. Multiple-birth rules can affect the amount.
Helps with: A one-off payment towards the costs of having a baby.
Who should check: Families receiving certain benefits, usually having their first child. Exceptions and claim deadlines apply.
Pregnancy and Baby Payment
Where: Scotland.
How much?: Usually £796.65 for a first child, or £398.35 for a later child. Exceptions and extra multiple-birth support apply.
Helps with: A payment towards pregnancy and baby essentials, as part of Best Start Grant.
Who should check: Expectant parents or carers of a young baby, usually receiving qualifying benefits. Different rules apply to younger parents.
Check the pregnancy, birth or caring-arrangement claim window.
Healthy Start
Where: England, Wales, Northern Ireland.
How much?: £4.65 a week during pregnancy and for each child aged one to under four; £9.30 a week for each baby under one. The card is topped up every four weeks.
Helps with: Milk, fruit, vegetables and other eligible foods, plus access to vitamins.
Who should check: People more than 10 weeks pregnant or responsible for a child under four, usually receiving qualifying benefits. Under-18 pregnancy and some other exceptions apply.
Best Start Foods
Where: Scotland.
Every four weeks: £22.40 during pregnancy; £44.80 for each baby under one; £22.40 for each child aged one to under three. Premature-birth rules can extend the higher rate.
Helps with: A prepaid card for eligible healthy foods during pregnancy and a child’s early years.
Who should check: Pregnant people and families with a child under three, usually receiving qualifying benefits. Younger parents have different rules.
Maternity exemption & NHS dental care
Where: England.
Helps with: Free NHS prescriptions with a valid maternity exemption certificate, and maternity-related NHS dental exemptions.
Who should check: People who are pregnant or have had a baby in the past 12 months. Ask a midwife, doctor or health visitor about the certificate.
A prescription exemption needs a valid certificate. NHS dental care has its own proof rules.
Maternity NHS dental care
Where: Scotland.
Helps with: An exemption from NHS dental treatment charges.
Who should check: People who are pregnant or have had a baby in the past 12 months. Check what evidence your dentist needs.
Maternity NHS dental care
Where: Wales.
Helps with: An exemption from NHS dental treatment charges.
Who should check: People pregnant at the start of treatment, or who have had a baby in the previous 12 months. Proof of entitlement is required.
Maternity Health Service dental care
Where: Northern Ireland.
Helps with: An exemption from Health Service dental treatment charges.
Who should check: People who are pregnant or have had a child in the 12 months before treatment starts. Check the evidence needed.
Funded childcare for working parents
Where: England.
How many hours?: 30 hours a week for 38 weeks a year. This is the total entitlement, not 30 hours on top of another funded-hours offer. Some providers let you spread the hours over more weeks.
Helps with: Funded hours with an approved childcare provider.
Who should check: Working families with a child aged nine months to four years. Earnings, immigration status and application deadlines matter.
Early education for three and four year olds
Where: England.
How many hours?: 570 hours a year, usually 15 hours a week for 38 weeks. Some providers offer fewer weekly hours over more weeks.
Helps with: Funded early education hours, without a working-parent requirement.
Who should check: Families with a three or four year old, from the term after their third birthday and before reception or compulsory school age.
Ask the provider about start dates and any optional extras.
Early Learning for two year olds
Where: England.
How many hours?: 15 hours a week for 38 weeks a year for eligible children. This is part of, not additional to, a possible 30-hour working-parent entitlement.
Helps with: Funded childcare for eligible two year olds.
Who should check: Families receiving certain benefits, or whose child has qualifying care or additional-support circumstances. Some families unable to claim benefits can also qualify.
Funded early learning and childcare
Where: Scotland.
How many hours?: Up to 1,140 hours a year, roughly 30 hours a week during term time. Check the pattern and start date with your council or provider.
Helps with: Funded early learning and childcare before primary school.
Who should check: Families with a child aged three to five. Some two year olds can also qualify; start dates and arrangements are set locally.
Childcare Offer for Wales
Where: Wales.
How many hours?: Up to 30 hours a week of combined nursery education and childcare, for up to 48 weeks a year. The 30 hours includes nursery education, not childcare on top.
Helps with: A combination of nursery education and childcare hours.
Who should check: Families with a three or four year old where parents meet the work or eligible education and training rules. Income conditions apply.
Flying Start childcare
Where: Wales.
How many hours?: 12.5 hours a week for 39 weeks a year, usually in sessions of 2.5 hours. Local roll-out and eligibility still apply.
Helps with: Part-time funded childcare for two year olds in eligible areas.
Who should check: Families with a two year old. Roll-out is still phased, so check availability with your local Family Information Service.
Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme
Where: Northern Ireland.
How much?: A 15% reduction in eligible childcare costs, subject to the scheme’s caps and provider rules.
Helps with: A subsidy towards eligible registered childcare costs.
Who should check: Families using Tax-Free Childcare and a participating registered provider. Check the current child-age and payment rules.
This scheme cannot be used with Universal Credit childcare support.
Tax-Free Childcare
Where: England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland.
How much?: The government adds £2 for every £8 you pay in, up to £500 every three months (£2,000 a year) per child. For a disabled child, the cap is £1,000 every three months (£4,000 a year).
Helps with: A government top-up towards approved childcare costs.
Who should check: Working families using approved childcare. Your child’s age, both parents’ earnings where relevant, and immigration status affect eligibility.
You cannot receive Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as Universal Credit.
Universal Credit childcare support
Where: England, Scotland, Wales.
2026–27 payment limits: Up to 85% of eligible costs, capped at £1,071.09 for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more children per monthly assessment period.
Helps with: Help towards eligible childcare costs, subject to payment limits.
Who should check: People eligible for Universal Credit who are working or starting work. Partner, provider and cost-reporting rules apply.
Universal Credit childcare support
Where: Northern Ireland.
2026–27 payment limits: Up to 85% of eligible costs, capped at £1,071.09 for one child or £1,836.16 for two or more children per monthly assessment period.
Helps with: Help towards eligible registered childcare costs, subject to payment limits.
Who should check: People eligible for Universal Credit who are working or starting work. Check Northern Ireland’s provider and reporting rules.
Related guides
Sources and support
- Child Benefit (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Child Benefit: official amounts and hours
- Sure Start Maternity Grant (England, Wales): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Sure Start Maternity Grant: official amounts and hours
- Sure Start Maternity Grant (Northern Ireland): check eligibility with nidirect
- Sure Start Maternity Grant: official amounts and hours
- Pregnancy and Baby Payment (Scotland): check eligibility with mygov.scot
- Pregnancy and Baby Payment: official amounts and hours
- Healthy Start (England, Wales, Northern Ireland): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Healthy Start: official amounts and hours
- Best Start Foods (Scotland): check eligibility with mygov.scot
- Best Start Foods: official amounts and hours
- Maternity exemption & NHS dental care (England): check eligibility with NHS Business Services Authority
- Maternity NHS dental care (Scotland): check eligibility with NHS inform
- Maternity NHS dental care (Wales): check eligibility with GOV.WALES
- Maternity Health Service dental care (Northern Ireland): check eligibility with nidirect
- Funded childcare for working parents (England): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Funded childcare for working parents: official amounts and hours
- Early education for three and four year olds (England): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Early education for three and four year olds: official amounts and hours
- Early Learning for two year olds (England): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Early Learning for two year olds: official amounts and hours
- Funded early learning and childcare (Scotland): check eligibility with mygov.scot
- Funded early learning and childcare: official amounts and hours
- Childcare Offer for Wales (Wales): check eligibility with GOV.WALES
- Childcare Offer for Wales: official amounts and hours
- Flying Start childcare (Wales): check eligibility with GOV.WALES
- Flying Start childcare: official amounts and hours
- Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme (Northern Ireland): check eligibility with nidirect
- Northern Ireland Childcare Subsidy Scheme: official amounts and hours
- Tax-Free Childcare (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Tax-Free Childcare: official amounts and hours
- Universal Credit childcare support (England, Scotland, Wales): check eligibility with GOV.UK
- Universal Credit childcare support: official amounts and hours
- Universal Credit childcare support (Northern Ireland): check eligibility with nidirect
- Universal Credit childcare support: official amounts and hours