MAMA Benefits

All prescriptions and NHS dental treatment are free while you’re pregnant and for 12 months after your baby’s due date. Children also get free prescriptions until they’re 16.

To claim free prescriptions, ask your doctor or midwife for form MATB1. They will help you complete it and will sign it and submit it to your local health authority on your behalf.

You’ll be sent a maternity exemption certificate (MATEX) that lasts for 12 months after your due date. Show this to your pharmacist or dentist to claim your free medication/ dental care.

You can get free milk, infant formula, vitamins, fruit and vegetables if you’re receiving certain benefits or if you’re under 18.

Find out more on the Healthy Start website

You get Child Benefit if you’re responsible for bringing up a child who is:

• under 16
• under 20 if they stay in approved education or training

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

It’s paid every 4 weeks and there’s no limit to how many children you can claim for.

By claiming Child Benefit:

• you can get National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension
• your child will automatically get a National Insurance number when they’re 16 years old

If you choose not to get Child Benefit payments, you should still fill in and send off the claim form.

If you or your partner earn over £50,000:

You may have to pay back some of your Child Benefit in tax if your (or your partner’s) individual income is over £50,000.

If your circumstances change:

You must report any change of circumstances to the Child Benefit Office.

What you’ll get

There are 2 Child Benefit rates:

• Eldest or only child – £21.80 per week
• Additional children – £14.45 per week per child

You must contact the Child Benefit Office if you’re paid too much or too little.

Eligibility

Only one person can get Child Benefit for a child.

You normally qualify for Child Benefit if you’re responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training) and you live in the UK.

You’ll usually be responsible for a child if you live with them or you’re paying at least the same amount as Child Benefit (or the equivalent in kind) towards looking after them, for example on food, clothes or pocket money.

Eligibility rules are different if your child:

• goes into hospital or care
• lives with someone else

If you’re on a low income and get certain benefits or tax credits and there are no other children under 16 in your family, you could get this one-off payment.

For further information visit the Sure Start website

Universal Credit is replacing the following benefits and tax credits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Working Tax Credit

If you’re getting any of these benefits or tax credits, you do not need to do anything unless either:

• your circumstances change
• you get a letter called a ‘Migration Notice’ telling you that you must claim Universal Credit

More information can be found on the government website under Universal Credit.

Help with mortgage interest repayments if you receive certain benefits.

For more information visit the government website

You might be eligible for help with paying your council tax if your income is low.

For more information visit the government website

You might be able to get help from the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme, depending on your circumstances.

For more information visit the government website

A weekly payment from your employer to help you take time off before and after your baby is born.

For more information visit the government website

If you’re pregnant or have a new baby but do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you might be able to claim Maternity Allowance through Jobcentre Plus.

For more information visit the government website

Your partner (including same-sex or civil partner) may be able to claim Statutory Paternity Pay to take time off work to support you.

Find out more about Statutory Paternity Pay, including when your partner needs to let their employer know that you’re expecting.

A weekly payment from your employer to help you take time off if you adopt a child.

Find out more about Statutory Adoption Pay on GOV.UK, including how and when to let your employer know.

When you’re pregnant, you’re entitled to up to a year of maternity leave.

If you are employed and pregnant, you are entitled to 52 weeks (1 year) of maternity leave, no matter how long you’ve worked for your employer.

This is made up of 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional maternity leave.

You have a range of rights during this period and can also request that your employer provides flexible working arrangements if you decide to return to work at the end of your leave.

Your employment terms (for example, your pension contributions) are protected while you’re on Statutory Maternity Leave.

If you’re made redundant while on Statutory Maternity Leave, you also have extra rights.

For more information please visit the Statutory Maternity Leave page on the government website

If you’re pregnant, your employer must protect your health and safety, and you may have the right to paid time off for antenatal care. You’re also protected against unfair treatment.

If you enjoy your work and like the people you work with, you may have mixed feelings when you go on maternity leave. Try to make the most of these few weeks before your baby is born. It’s also a good opportunity to make some new friends. You may make new pregnant friends you want to keep in touch with at antenatal classes or you may get to know more people living close by.

Find out about your employee rights when you’re on maternity, adoption or parental leave.

You have employment rights and responsibilities when you go back to work.

Make sure you know what these are and what to do if you have any problems or you’re denied your rights.

Requesting flexible working

Parents of children aged 16 and under, or of disabled children aged 18 and under, are entitled to request a flexible working pattern.

You need to follow a specific procedure when making your request.

Find out more on flexible working by visiting the government website

You may be eligible to share parental leave and pay with your partner.

Shared Parental Leave is designed to give parents the flexibility to decide when to return to work and allow families to spend time together in the early stages of a child’s life.

• Leave and pay can be shared following the first 2 weeks after your baby’s birth. This means up to 50 weeks of leave and 37 weeks of pay can be shared.
• You do not have to take all of your Shared Parental Leave at the same time.
• You can take Shared Parental Leave in up to 3 blocks (each block must be a minimum of 1 week) and return to work in between.
• Shared Parental Leave can be taken by both parents at the same time so you and your partner can spend time at home together with your baby.

For more information visit the government website