Benefits most parents can get

Overview of benefits available to most parents who have children or are expecting a child.

Use Benefits calculators to check exactly what benefits you might be entitled to.

You can get Child Benefit if you are responsible for bringing up a child who is:

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

Child Benefit is paid every 4 weeks. You get a larger payment for your eldest or only child, then a smaller payment for each additional child. There is no limit to how many children you can claim for.

You can claim Child Benefit as soon as you’ve registered the birth of your child, or they come to live with you.

If your or your partner’s individual income is 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 £60,000, filling out the child benefit form, even if you opt out of getting payments, has multiple advantages. Filling out the form means:

• you will get national insurance credits to go towards your state pension
• your child is registered to receive their own national insurance number just before they turn 16 years old

All women who are pregnant or who gave birth less than a year ago free prescriptions and NHS dental treatment.

To get free prescriptions and NHS dental treatments fill in the Maternity Exemption form (FW8), available from your doctor or midwife.

All children and young people under 16 are entitled to free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers to help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses. If a young person is in full-time education, they can get free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers up to the age of 18.

You can also get free NHS eye tests if:

• you claim some benefits (your dependents up to the age of 20 will also get free NHS eye tests)
• you have or are at risk of conditions affecting the eyes
• you're a prisoner on leave from prison
• you're 60 or over

Read more ways you could be eligible for free NHS eye tests

You may be entitled to more support depending on your circumstances.

Find out about:

Support for working parents and parents to be

Support for parents and parents to be on benefits or low incomes