What benefits can I claim if I am responsible for a child?

Child Benefit is the payment almost every family should look at, including higher earners who may pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge. Universal Credit can add a child element and childcare costs if you work and you are on a low income. Scotland adds Scottish Child Payment if you get a qualifying benefit.

If a child has extra care or mobility needs, Disability Living Allowance for children applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Child Disability Payment in Scotland. Funded childcare hours and Tax-Free Childcare are HMRC or education schemes, not DWP cash benefits, but they are part of the same household budget.

Benefits this usually points to

Child Benefit
A regular payment to help with the cost of bringing up a child. It is usually paid if you are responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training.
Universal Credit
A monthly payment to help with living costs if you are on a low income, out of work, or cannot work. It can include amounts for housing, children, disability, and caring.
Scottish Child Payment
A weekly payment from Social Security Scotland for families looking after a child under 16, if they already get certain qualifying benefits.
Disability Living Allowance for children
A benefit for children under 16 who need extra looking after or have walking difficulties because of a disability or health condition. Scotland uses Child Disability Payment.
Child Disability Payment
A Scottish benefit replacing Disability Living Allowance for children who live in Scotland.
Healthy Start
Help to buy milk, fruit, vegetables and vitamins if you are pregnant or have a child under 4 and you get certain benefits. Scotland has Best Start Foods instead.
Best Start Foods
A Scottish prepaid card to help with the cost of milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables during pregnancy and for children under 3, if you get certain benefits.
Best Start Grant
Three Scottish one-off payments around pregnancy and a child’s early years if you get a qualifying benefit: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, and School Age Payment. Separate from Best Start Foods.
Free school meals
A school-age meal at no cost if you get certain benefits, with extra automatic provision for some infant year groups. Each UK nation sets its own rules and how you apply.
Tax-Free Childcare
An HMRC scheme where you pay into an online account for registered childcare and the government adds a contribution, up to a yearly cap. It is not a DWP benefit and usually cannot be combined with Universal Credit childcare costs for the same costs.
Funded childcare hours
Government-funded hours with an approved childcare provider. In England this includes age-based offers sometimes described as 15 or 30 hours. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own funded-hours schemes.

Check what may apply in your circumstances

It usually takes about 5 minutes. You do not need to create an account. This is guidance, not a government decision.

Child Tax Credit has ended

You cannot make a new Child Tax Credit claim. If you still have an award, HMRC’s managed-move process applies. Claiming Universal Credit at the wrong moment can stop tax credits — use GOV.UK.

Other circumstances

This is independent guidance. Only the relevant government department can confirm eligibility. How we source and verify.

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