Benefits and support

If you are on a low income or claim benefits, you could get extra help with the costs of raising your child.

Healthy Start vouchers and vitamins

If you are at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4-years-old, you can get Healthy Start vouchers if you are:

• on some benefits
• or are under 18 and pregnant

You can spend Healthy Start vouchers on basic foods like:

• milk
• fruit and vegetables
• fresh, dried and tinned pulses, peas and beans

Women and children can also get vitamin coupons to swap for free Healthy Start vitamins.

Healthy Start vitamins are specifically designed for pregnant and breastfeeding women and growing children. Your midwife or health visitor will be able to tell you where you can swap your coupon for vitamins in your area.

Find out more and apply for Health Start Vouchers – NHS website.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

You can get a Sure Start Maternity Grant of £500 if you get some benefits and there aren not children already in your family. The grant doesn’t have to be paid back.

If there are already children in your family, you might still be able to get a Sure Start Maternity Grant if:

• you are expecting a ‘multiple birth’ such as twins
• the child you are caring for is not yours or your partner’s
• you have been granted refugee status or humanitarian protection and you have a child or children from before you arrived in the UK
• if you are adopting or becoming a surrogate parent

Find out more and claim the Sure Start Maternity Grant – GOV.UK.

Support for your child at school

If you are on some benefits your child may be able to get support at school.

This support could include:

• free school meals
• free school transport
• pupil premium, extra funding to help their school education
• a school clothing grant

Find out more about student benefits and grants.