New / Expectant Parents

On this page:

Financial support for new Families

• Calculating the cost of having a baby

  The Money Advice Service has developed a Baby Costs Calculator so you can check how much the essentials cost you. Their research shows that a baby could cost as much as £7,200 or as little as £1,600 in their first year, excluding childcare:

   

  Money Helper - Baby Costs Calculator

   

   The Money Helper Service has also produced a Baby Money Timeline, which lists all the money-related dates to do with your pregnancy and new baby. It covers everything from arranging your maternity leave to going shopping for baby things and claiming Child Benefit:

   

  Money Helper - Baby Money Timeline

• Maternity Leave and Pay  

  To support you to take time off work whilst having your baby, you are entitled to maternity leave and pay. Statutory Maternity Pay entitles you to 52 weeks off work, but you’ll only get maternity pay for 39 of them if you’re eligible. 

   

  You get: 90% of your average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first 6 weeks and £151.20 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks. SMP is paid in the same way as your wages (for example monthly or weekly). Tax and National Insurance will be deducted. 

   

  The earliest your paid maternity leave can start is the 11th week before your baby is due.

   

  If your baby is born early, your leave starts the day after the birth. You don’t have to take the 52 weeks you’re entitled to, but you must take at least two weeks off work following the birth of your baby.

  Pay Leave for Parents - GOV.UK

   

  Money Helper- Maternity Leave and Pay 

• Maternity Allowance  

  If you can’t get Statutory Maternity Pay, you may be entitled to another benefit called Maternity Allowance.

   

  Maternity Allowance is a benefit paid by the government to pregnant women who don’t qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay.

   

  To find out whether you qualify for Maternity Allowance, use the GOV.UK calculator:

   

  Pay Leave for Parents - GOV.UK

   

  Money Helper- Maternity Allowance 

    

• Paternity Leave and Pay 

  When your partner gives birth or when you adopt a child or have a baby by surrogate, you may be entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay so you can help look after your new arrival.

   

  The statutory weekly rate of Paternity Pay is £151.20, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower). Any money you get is paid in the same way as your wages, for example monthly or weekly. Tax and National Insurance will be deducted. The money is usually paid while you’re on leave.

   

  Your employer must confirm the start and end dates for your Paternity Pay when you claim it. To change the start date you must give your employer 28 days’ notice. You could get more pay if your employer has a company paternity scheme; they cannot offer you less than the statutory amounts.

  Paternity Leave and Pay - GOV.UK

   

  Pay Leave for Parents - GOV.UK

   

• Adoption Leave and Pay  

  When you take time off to adopt a child or have a child through a surrogacy arrangement you might be eligible for Statutory Adoption Leave and/or Statutory Adoption Pay.

   

  There are rules on when and how to claim your paid leave and if you want to change your dates. You may also be eligible to take Shared Parental Leave and Pay. 

   

  Adoption Pay and Leave - GOV.UK

   

  Pay Leave for Parents - GOV.UK

• Shared Parental Pay 

   You and your partner may be able to get Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you’re having a baby or adopting a child. You can share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay between you.

   

  You need to share the pay and leave in the first year after your child is born or placed with your family. You can use SPL to take leave in blocks separated by periods of work, or take it all in one go. You can also choose to be off work together or to stagger the leave and pay. 

   

  To get SPL and ShPP, you and your partner need to meet the eligibility criteria - there’s different criteria for birth parents and adoptive parents and give notice to your employers.

   

  ShPP is paid at the rate of £151.20 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is lower. This is the same as Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) except that during the first 6 weeks SMP is paid at 90% of whatever you earn (with no maximum).  

   

  Shared Parental Pay - GOV.UK

• Tax-Free Childcare Scheme 

  You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year). If you get Tax-Free Childcare, you’ll set up an online childcare account for your child. For every £8 you pay into this account, the government will pay in £2 to use to pay your provider.

   

  You can get Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as 30 hours free childcare if you’re eligible for both. You can usually get Tax-Free Childcare if you (and your partner, if you have one) are in work, on sick leave or annual leave, on shared parental, maternity, paternity or adoption leave. If you’re on adoption leave, you cannot apply for the child you’re on leave for unless you’re going back to work within 31 days of the date you first applied. 

   

  Tax-Free Childcare Scheme - GOV.UK

   

• Child Benefit 

  You can claim Child Benefit for each child you’re responsible for (you do not have to be their parent), regardless of whether you’re working or have savings. You can claim Child Benefit as soon as you’ve registered the birth of your child, or they come to live with you.

   

   

   You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is under 16 or under 20 (if they stay in approved education or training). Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child. It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for. By claiming Child Benefit you can get National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension, your child will automatically get a National Insurance number when they’re 16 years old.

   

  If you choose not to get Child Benefit payments, you should still fill in and send off the claim form so you don't miss out on other entitlements.

   

  If you or your partner earn over £50,000 you may have to pay back some of your Child Benefit in tax if your (or your partner’s) individual income is over £50,000. 

   

  Child Benefit - GOV.UK

   

  Money Helper - Child Benefits
  

   

• Child Tax Credits  

  Child Tax Credit is a benefit that helps with the costs of raising a child if you are on a low income, however Child Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit for most people.

   

  You can only make a new claim for Child Tax Credit if you get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it, got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it. If your child is 16, you can claim up until 31 August after their 16th birthday. If they are in approved education or training, you can claim until their 20th birthday. If you cannot make a new claim for Child Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit (or Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over).

   

  The amount you can get depends on how many children you’ve got and whether you’re making a new claim for Child Tax Credit or are already claiming Child Tax Credit. Child Tax Credit will not affect your Child Benefit and you can only claim Child Tax Credit for children you’re responsible for. 

   

  Child Tax Credit - GOV.UK

  Money Helper - Child Tax Credit 

   

• Working Tax Credit  

   

  Working Tax Credit is designed to top up your earnings if you work and are on a low income. If you work a certain number of hours you may be able to claim an extra amount to help cover the costs of approved childcare, this is referred to as the ‘childcare element’ of working tax credits.   

   

  Working Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit for most people. You can only make a new claim for Working Tax Credit if you get the severe disability premium, or are entitled to it got or were entitled to the severe disability premium in the last month, and you’re still eligible for it. If you cannot make a new claim for Working Tax Credit, you may be able to apply for Universal Credit (or Pension Credit if you and your partner are State Pension age or over). 

   

  Working Tax Credit - GOV.UK

   

• Universal Credit

  Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. You may be able to get it if you’re on a low income, out of work or you cannot work. 
   
  You may be able to claim back up to 85% of your childcare costs if you’re eligible for Universal Credit; this is referred to as the ‘childcare element’ of Universal Credit, in order to be eligible you (and your partner if you live with them) will usually need to either be working - it does not matter how many hours you or your partner work or have a job offer. 

   

  Universal Credit - GOV.UK

   

• Healthy Start Vouchers

   With Healthy Start, parents get free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. They can also get free vitamins. Women who are pregnant or families with a child under four years old and who are on certain benefits qualify for Healthy Start. All pregnant women under the age of 18 qualify– whether or not they are on benefits. 

   

  Healthy Start - NHS.UK

   

• Sure Start Maternity Grant 

   Women could get a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child. You usually qualify for the grant if both of the following apply:

   

  • you’re expecting your first child, or you’re expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) and have children already
  • you or your partner already get certain benefits 

   

  The grant must be claimed within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date or within 3 months after the baby’s birth.

   

  Sure Start Maternity Grant - GOV.UK

   

   

   

   

   

Wider financial support for families 

Families may be eligible to receieve wider financial help, including support from education and housing sectors. 

• Free School Meals
   

  If you are claiming certain benefits and your child attends a school in the Vale of Glamorgan, you could save money by claiming free school meals for your child. You will need to complete a new application if your child starts school for the first time and for any subsequent children when they start school.

   

   

  If your child attends school outside of the Vale of Glamorgan, you will need to claim Free School Meals from the council where the school is located. Please also note you cannot claim Free School Meals for private schools, nursery schools, or college.

   

  Free School Meals 

   

• Free breakfast clubs  

  All children who go to a primary school which is maintained by a local authority are eligible to have a free breakfast at school, if their school provides free breakfasts. Here children can choose from food such as cereals with no added sugars, milk, yogurts, bread with toppings, and fruit.To read more about the Free Breakfasts in Primary Schools scheme please refer to the Welsh Government guidance document.

   

  Click here to check out the Free Breakfast clubs across the Vale of Glamorgan

   

  Please note that the free breakfast club in Primary Schools scheme does not provide childcare. Children are supervised during breakfast to make sure that they can safely choose their breakfast and eat it before the start of the school day. Schools may charge for childcare before the free breakfast session starts, this is often referred to as ‘wraparound childcare’. This childcare is separate from the Free Breakfast in Primary School scheme and schools must not charge you for the cost of staff who supervise free breakfasts.

   

  Click here to search the Childcare Information directory for all breakfast clubs, this list includes private breakfast clubs that offer childcare. Filter by ‘school and other pick-up’. 

    

   

   

• School Holiday Enrichment Programme (SHEP)

   

   SHEP is a school-based education programme that provides food and nutrition education, physical activity, enrichment sessions and healthy meals to children in areas of social deprivation during the school summer holidays. The SHEP programme may also be known as ‘Food and Fun’.

   

   

  Please contact your school directly to find out more.

   

  For further reading on 'Food and Fun' or SHEP click here.

   

• Pupil Development Grant  

   

   The Pupil Development Grant is available to assist eligible families on a low income to help with the following items:

   

  • The purchase of school uniforms including coats and shoes

  • Uniform for enrichment activities including but not limited to; scouts, guides, cadets, martial arts, sports, performing arts or dance

  • Equipment e.g. school bags and stationery

  • Specialist equipment where new curriculum activities begin such as design and technology

  • Equipment for out of school hours trips such as outdoor learning e.g. waterproofs

  • Laptops or tablets

   

  Pupil Development Grant 

   

• Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) 

   

   The Education Maintenance Allowance provides financial support for 16-19-year olds who are continuing with their education at schools or further education institutions. It is means tested and to be eligible you will need to be:

  • Aged 16 between 1 September 2008 – 31 August 2009

  • Living in the UK

  • In full time study

  • Studying eligible course

   

   You will qualify if:

  • you live with parents with a total annual household income of less than £31,581

  • you live on your own with an annual income of less than £31,581

  • you’re under the care of social services, or responsible for child 

   

  If you think you may be eligible, please contact your school directly.

   

  Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

   

• Period Dignity  

   

  The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been supporting families to ensure period dignity for women and girls from low income households throughout the pandemic. This project ensures that free period products can be delivered to pupils in a safe, practical and dignified way. Further information on this can be found here.     

   

  Ongoing support has been provided and products have been available via schools food parcel distribution, the 15plus team, youth wellbeing service and various housing partners. Partnerships with third sector organisations, including food banks, community hubs, family centres etc. have been put into place to ensure access to period products, free of charge and accessible in the most practical and dignified way possible.

   

  Period Dignity
   

• Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) 

   

  DHP is not a benefit – it is an emergency payment with a limited budget set by the government and designed for those most in need. 

   

  You can apply for DHP if:

  • you have a shortfall between the amount of Housing Benefit awarded to you and the amount of rent that you pay

  • you are a Universal Credit claimant and the amount of the housing element is less than your rent

   

  Please be aware that you must be receiving Housing Benefit or housing costs through Universal Credit in order to apply for DHP.

   

  Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP)