Help for families

Support for parents, children and childcare costs.

HM Revenue & Customs

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is paid to people responsible for bringing up a child, including an older child who stays in approved education or training. If you or your partner earn above a set level, you may have to pay some or all of it back through the High Income Child Benefit Charge.

Applies to UK-wide Read guide
Department for Education

Free school meals

Your child may get free school meals if you get certain benefits, such as Universal Credit. You apply through your local council. All infant-school pupils at state schools in England get free school meals.

Applies to England Read guide
NHS Business Services Authority

Healthy Start

Healthy Start helps if you are pregnant or have a young child and get certain benefits. You get a prepaid card to spend on milk, fruit, vegetables, pulses and infant formula, and you can get free vitamins.

Applies to England Read guide

Guides on this

Work out what you could get

Child Benefit calculator — Work out how much Child Benefit you could get each week, and whether the High Income Child Benefit Charge applies to you.
Take-home pay calculator — Work out your take-home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance, using this tax year’s rates for England.
Universal Credit estimator — Get a rough estimate of your monthly Universal Credit, including the standard allowance, amounts for children and how your earnings reduce your payment.