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Maternity and new baby grants
The £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant, and Scotland’s larger Best Start Grant — who qualifies, the amounts, and the deadline.
Written by the benefitmoney.co.uk editorial team · Last reviewed 15 September 2026
There are two different schemes for a new baby, and which one you get depends on where you live. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is the £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant — usually for your first child only. In Scotland it is the Best Start Grant, which is larger and paid for every child.
Sure Start Maternity Grant — £500
A one-off £500, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, for people on a qualifying benefit. It is normally paid only for your first child — unless you are having a multiple birth (twins, triplets) when you already have children. It is not repayable and does not affect your other benefits.
Claim on form SF100, from 11 weeks before the due date to 6 months after the birth. A health professional has to sign part of the form.
Source: GOV.UK — Sure Start Maternity Grant↗. Checked 10 September 2026.
Scotland — the Best Start Grant
Scotland replaced the £500 grant with the Best Start Grant, which is bigger and comes in three payments across a child’s early years — and it is paid for every child, not just the first:
- Pregnancy & Baby
- £796.65 for a first child, £398.35 for each child after.
- Early Learning
- £331.95 per child, aged 2 to 3 years 6 months.
- School Age
- £331.95 per child, in the year they can start school.
On top of that, Best Start Foods pays onto a prepaid card every 4 weeks (£22.40 in pregnancy, £44.80 for a baby under 1, £22.40 for ages 1–3).
Source: mygov.scot — Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods↗. Opened 10 September 2026.
Other help for a new baby
- Your council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund for essentials.
- White-goods grants for a cooker, fridge or washing machine.
- Later on, school uniform grants.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the maternity grant?
In England, Wales and NI, the Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off £500. In Scotland, the Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Payment is £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for each child after.
Can I get it for a second baby?
In England, Wales and NI, usually only for a first child — unless you are having a multiple birth. In Scotland, Best Start is paid for every child.
What is the deadline?
The Sure Start Maternity Grant must be claimed on form SF100 between 11 weeks before the due date and 6 months after the birth.
Does it affect my other benefits?
No. It is a grant, not a loan, and it does not reduce your other benefits.
Where you live changes what you can claim
Several of the schemes on this page stop at a border, and the discretionary fund behind them is a different scheme in each nation with its own rules and its own application route. Start from the one that covers you.
| If you live in | The local crisis fund is | Start here |
|---|---|---|
| England | Crisis and Resilience Fund, run by your own council | Find your council — 141 checked so far |
| Scotland | Scottish Welfare Fund | How the Scottish Welfare Fund works |
| Wales | Discretionary Assistance Fund | How the Discretionary Assistance Fund works |
| Northern Ireland | Discretionary Support | How Discretionary Support works |
Sources
- GOV.UK — Sure Start Maternity Grant↗ (£500; form SF100; 11 weeks before to 6 months after). Checked 10 September 2026.
- mygov.scot — Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods↗ (amounts). Opened 15 September 2026.
Other grant guides
- All grants — every scheme on this site, and the order worth trying them in.
- School uniform grants — what each nation pays, and England’s gap.
- Furniture and bed grants — council funds, charities and reuse networks.
This page is independent. It is not run by the DWP, Social Security Scotland or GOV.UK. Amounts and deadlines change — the pages linked above are the current position.