Sure Start Maternity Grant
The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment of £500 towards the costs of a new baby. You usually get it if this is your first child, or you are expecting twins or more, and you or your partner already get certain benefits.
£500, once
A one-off payment towards the costs of a new baby.
On certain benefits
You or your partner get Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related ESA.
Claim in time
From 11 weeks before the week your baby is due to 6 months after the birth.
Yours to keep
You do not pay it back and it does not affect your other benefits.
The grant comes from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), not your employer, so it is separate from Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance. If you live in Scotland you cannot get it: you apply for the Pregnancy and Baby Payment instead.
How much is the Sure Start Maternity Grant?
The grant is £500 and you do not have to pay it back. It is paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.
You may not get a grant if you already have children under 16. If you do, you can still get one for twins or triplets, and the amount depends on the children you already have:
| Children under 16 you already have | If you have twins | If you have triplets |
|---|---|---|
| 1 or more, none from a multiple birth | £500 | £1,000 |
| You have already had twins | £0 | £500 |
| You have already had triplets | £0 | £0 |
You also need to meet the other conditions below. Source: GOV.UK, Sure Start Maternity Grant.
Who qualifies for a Sure Start Maternity Grant?
You usually qualify when you have no other children under 16 and you or your partner get one of these benefits.
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
You may also qualify if you are getting a Support for Mortgage Interest loan.
If you already have children under 16
You may still get a grant if you or your partner get one of the benefits above and any of these apply:
- you are expecting a multiple birth, such as twins
- the child you care for is someone else's (not your partner's) and was over 12 months old when the arrangement started
- you have refugee status or humanitarian protection, or you have come to the UK from Afghanistan or Ukraine
- you are claiming for a family member who is under 16, or 16 to 19 and in approved education or training
If you are not giving birth
You may also get a grant if you are adopting or becoming a surrogate parent. The baby must be under 1 year old on the date you claim, you must get one of the benefits above, and one of these must apply: you have become responsible for the baby and you are not the mother, the baby has been placed with you for adoption, or you have permission to adopt a baby.
The full rules are on GOV.UK: Sure Start Maternity Grant eligibility.
When and how to claim
You can claim from 11 weeks before the week your baby is due. The latest you can claim is 6 months after your baby is born.
If you are becoming responsible for a child, for example through adoption, you must claim within 6 months of that happening. In England and Wales you claim by post:
Fill in form SF100
Print and complete the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SF100) claim form.Get evidence from a health professional
A doctor or midwife fills in a MATB1 form or writes a statement confirming the pregnancy or birth. If you need to meet the deadline, you can send the form first and the evidence later.Post it to Freepost DWP SSMG
You do not need a postcode or a stamp.Wait for the decision letter
DWP writes to you within 28 days of receiving your form and evidence. It can take longer if you have recently made a new Universal Credit claim.
For help with a claim, call the Sure Start Maternity Grant helpline on 0800 169 0140 (Welsh language 0800 169 0240), Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration.
Northern Ireland and Scotland
Northern Ireland
The grant is the same £500, for the same benefits, and nidirect describes it as tax-free. You use the Northern Ireland form SF100 (Sure Start) and send it to DfC Sure Start Maternity Grants, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton WV98 2JX. You can claim from 11 weeks before the baby is due and within 6 months of the birth. See nidirect.
Scotland
You cannot get a Sure Start Maternity Grant in Scotland. Social Security Scotland pays a Pregnancy and Baby Payment instead: £796.65 for your first child and £398.35 for any child after that. You can claim from the end of the 24th week of pregnancy until the day your baby is 6 months old. See mygov.scot.
Sure Start Maternity Grant questions
Can I apply for the maternity grant online?
In England and Wales, GOV.UK sets out a postal claim: you print form SF100 and post it to Freepost DWP SSMG. In Northern Ireland you can ask for the form online or by phone, then post it to the Department for Communities.
What is the Sure Start Maternity Grant phone number?
The helpline is 0800 169 0140, or 0800 169 0240 in Welsh, Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm. You can also contact Jobcentre Plus.
Can I get the grant if I get Child Tax Credit?
The benefits on GOV.UK's list are Universal Credit, Pension Credit and income-related Employment and Support Allowance, plus a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. Child Tax Credit is not on that list.
Does the grant affect my other benefits?
No. You do not have to pay the grant back and it will not affect your other benefits.
My baby is already born. Is it too late?
Not if your baby is under 6 months old. The latest you can claim is 6 months after the birth, and you need evidence of the birth from a health professional.
Is the grant the same as maternity pay?
No. Statutory Maternity Pay comes from your employer and Maternity Allowance from DWP, each with its own rules. The Maternity Pay Calculator works out SMP, and the Maternity Allowance Test Period Calculator checks whether you can get Maternity Allowance. If you plan to share leave with your partner, the Shared Parental Pay Calculator shows what each of you gets.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026.
- Sure Start Maternity Grant (GOV.UK, DWP): amount, eligibility, multiple births, adoption and surrogacy, the claim window, form SF100, evidence, helpline and decision time. Updated 9 September 2026.
- Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant (nidirect): the Northern Ireland form, address and claim window. Updated 25 June 2026.
- Pregnancy and Baby Payment (mygov.scot): the Scottish payment amounts and claim window. Updated 10 August 2026.