What is the Sure Start Maternity Grant and who can claim it?

Full answer

The Sure Start Maternity Grant provides valuable one-off help with the costs of preparing for a new baby, but its eligibility rules mean many families are surprised to find they do not qualify, particularly if they already have older children. **The £500 amount and when it can be claimed** The grant is a single, one-off payment of £500, which does not need to be repaid and is not counted as income for other means-tested benefits. It can be claimed from 11 weeks before the baby's due date up to 6 months after the birth (or, for adoption, from the date of matching up to 6 months after the child comes to live with the family), so there is a reasonably wide window to make a claim. **The qualifying benefit requirement** To qualify, the claimant (or their partner) must already be receiving one of a specific list of means-tested benefits at the time of claiming -- typically 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 actually being in receipt of one of these specific qualifying benefits means the grant cannot be claimed, regardless of genuine financial need. **The "no other child under 16" restriction** Critically, the grant is generally only available if there is no other child under 16 already living in the family -- this makes it primarily aimed at supporting FIRST children (or, in blended families, situations where neither partner has an existing child under 16), rather than being available every time a family has an additional baby. There are limited exceptions, such as if the pregnancy results in a multiple birth (twins or more) and the family already has one child under 16, since in that specific scenario an additional grant may be available for the additional baby/babies. **Health advice requirement** As part of the application, claimants must obtain confirmation from a health professional (such as a midwife, health visitor, or doctor) that they have received advice about health and welfare matters relevant to the baby, evidenced on the claim form -- this is a straightforward requirement typically satisfied during routine antenatal care, not a barrier for most claimants who are already engaging with standard maternity healthcare services. **Different rules in Scotland** Scotland has replaced the Sure Start Maternity Grant with its own devolved benefit, the Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, which has different eligibility rules and payment amounts -- families in Scotland should check the Scottish scheme specifically rather than assuming the same rules and amount apply as in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. **Worked example** A couple expecting their first child, with one partner receiving Universal Credit, can claim the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant from 11 weeks before the due date, provided they obtain the required health professional confirmation and submit their claim within the eligible window. If the same couple already has a 5-year-old child from a previous relationship living with them, and this pregnancy is their second child as a family unit, they would generally NOT be eligible for the grant for the new baby, since the "no other child under 16" condition would not be met, despite this being their first child together as a couple. **Practical tip** Check the specific qualifying benefit and "no other child under 16" conditions carefully before assuming eligibility, and apply within the claim window (rather than after the 6-month post-birth deadline), since late claims outside the window cannot be accepted regardless of the circumstances.

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