In this section:
- Does Child Benefit affect your other benefits?
- Child Benefit - other benefits you might qualify for
- How claiming Child Benefit can protect your State Pension
- What are tax credits and who qualifies?
- Guardian's Allowance
Child Benefit - other benefits you might qualify for
If you're a parent and you get Child Benefit, you may be able to get other benefits and financial help.
Tax credits
Tax credits are payments from the government to help you with your everyday costs.
The amount of tax credit you get depends on things like:
- how many children you have living with you
- whether you work - and how many hours you work
- if you pay for childcare
- if you have - or any child living with you has - a disability
- if you're aged 50 plus and are coming off benefits
Your payments also depend on your income. The lower your income, the more tax credit you can get.
You don't have to get Child Benefit to qualify for tax credits.
What are tax credits and who qualifies?
Child Trust Fund
The Child Trust Fund is a tax-free savings account for children.
When you claim or start getting Child Benefit for your child you'll normally automatically get a voucher worth a certain amount of money to invest in your child's account.
The voucher is not dependent on your income, but you could get more if you're on a low income.
Go to the Child Trust Fund website
Free school meals and transport
You could be eligible for:
- free school meals - if your income is £15,575 or less and you get Child Tax Credit or some other income-based benefit in respect of your children, for example Income Support
- free school transport - if your child is between 5 and 16 years old and the nearest suitable school is more than a certain distance away
More about help with school lunches on the Directgov website
More about help with school transport on the Directgov website
Maternity Allowance
You could be eligible for Maternity Allowance if you have been earning on average £30 per week or more and one of the following applies:
- you're employed, but you can't get Statutory Maternity Pay
- you're self-employed and you pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions
You don't have to get Child Benefit to qualify for Maternity Allowance.
Information on Maternity Allowance for England, Scotland and Wales on the Jobcentre plus website
Help with health costs
You may be able to get help with your health costs if, as well as getting Child Benefit, your income is £15,575 or less, and you are also getting tax credits or some other income-based benefit in respect of your children, for example Income Support. Health costs include:
- free NHS prescriptions
- NHS dental treatment
- eyesight tests
- optical vouchers that go towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses
- NHS wigs and fabric supports
- the cost of travel to receive NHS treatment under the care of a consultant or if you've been referred by a doctor or dentist
If you qualify, you will automatically get an NHS Tax Credit Exemption Certificate sent to you in the post.
You can find out more about the Tax Credit Exemption Certificates from
the NHS Tax Credit Exemption Office on Tel 0845 609 9299.
Learn
more about help with health costs for England, Scotland and Wales on
the Directgov website
Income Support
If you can't work full time and you haven't got enough money to live on, because for example you are a lone parent, you may be able to get Income Support.
Whether you can get Income Support - and how much you can get - depends on things like your situation, income and savings.
You don't have to get Child Benefit to qualify for Income Support.
Information about Income Support for England, Scotland and Wales on the Jobcentre Plus website
Healthy Start
The Healthy Start scheme provides free vitamin supplements and weekly vouchers. If you get them, you can spend the vouchers on:
- milk
- fresh fruit and vegetables
- infant formula
You may qualify for Healthy Start if you are pregnant or have a child under four and you get one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Child Tax Credit, with a family income from April 2008 of £15,575 a year or less
If you are pregnant and under the age of 18, you will automatically qualify.
You don't have to get Child Benefit to qualify for the scheme.
Information about the Healthy Start scheme on the Healthy Start website
Sure Start Maternity Grant
The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment to help people on low incomes with the cost of a new baby.
It's mainly for new and expecting parents who get income-related benefits like Income Support and certain tax credits. You will need to claim it during the period from 11 weeks before the baby is due until three months after the birth.
You don't have to get Child Benefit to qualify for the grant.
Widowed Parent's Allowance
You may be eligible for the Widowed Parent's Allowance if you're bringing up a child or young person and your husband, wife or civil partner dies. If you're eligible, you can get this weekly payment no matter how much income you've got. But it could affect some other benefits you get.
Guardian's Allowance
If both of a child's parents die (or, sometimes, just one), their guardian may be able to get Guardian's Allowance. It's a tax-free weekly payment to help with the cost of bringing up a child. You don't need to be the child's legal guardian, but you do need to be getting Child Benefit for them.
Find out about Guardian's Allowance
More useful links
Child Benefit if your child is 16 or over
Does Child Benefit affect your other benefits?
Get information on tax credits and other benefits
Get a list of links relating to other help and support for families
More about financial support for parents and children on the Directgov website
