Who is eligible for the Sure Start Maternity Grant and how much is it?

Full answer

The Sure Start Maternity Grant helps parents on a low income cover the initial costs of a new baby, but eligibility is narrower than many people expect, particularly around whether it is a genuinely first child. **The payment amount** The grant is a one-off payment of £500, paid once per pregnancy (or per birth event, in the case of a multiple birth counted as qualifying), and it does not need to be repaid regardless of the parent's later circumstances, unlike a loan or advance payment. **Who qualifies -- the "first child" rule** In most cases, the grant is only available if this is the applicant's first child -- if you already have another child (even from a different relationship or a previous pregnancy), you generally cannot claim the grant for a subsequent single birth, even if you are on qualifying benefits and the new baby genuinely is your first with your current partner. **The multiple birth exception** An important exception applies if you are expecting twins, triplets, or another multiple birth, and already have one or more children under 16 in the household -- in this situation, you can still claim the grant, on the basis that a multiple birth significantly increases the household's costs even though it is not the family's literal first child. **Qualifying benefits required** To claim, the applicant or their partner must be receiving one of a specified list of means-tested benefits or tax credits, which commonly includes Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than the family element, or Working Tax Credit including a disability or severe disability element -- simply being on a low income without receiving one of these specific benefits does not qualify someone for the grant. **Worked example** A couple receiving Universal Credit are expecting their first child together. Because this is genuinely their first child and they receive a qualifying benefit, they can claim the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant. If instead the same couple were expecting their SECOND child (with no multiple birth involved), they would not be eligible, even though they are on the same qualifying benefit -- the first-child (or qualifying multiple birth) condition is what determines eligibility, not the benefit itself. **When and how to claim** Claims can normally be made from 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth, up to six months after the baby is born (or, for adoption, from a similar point in the process up to six months after the child comes to live with the family), and the claim generally needs to be supported by a form signed by a health professional (such as a midwife or doctor) confirming the pregnancy or birth. **Devolved and equivalent schemes elsewhere in the UK** Scotland operates its own equivalent scheme (the Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment), which has different eligibility rules and payment amounts from the Sure Start Maternity Grant available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland -- families in Scotland should check the Scottish scheme rather than assuming the same rules and payment amount apply. **Practical tip** If you are expecting your first child (or a qualifying multiple birth with existing children) while receiving a qualifying means-tested benefit, claim the Sure Start Maternity Grant as early as 11 weeks before your due date, since claims made too late (more than six months after the birth) cannot normally be accepted.

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