New parents can get one-off £500 DWP payment to help towards costs of having a child

New parents can bag a one-off payment of £500 to help with the costs of having a child, thanks to the Department for Work and Pensions' Sure Start Maternity Grant.

This grant is available to those on low income who meet the eligibility criteria. The best part is you don't have to pay it back and it won't affect your other benefits or tax credits.

You must claim the grant within 11 weeks of your baby's due date or within six months after the baby's birth. You're usually eligible for the grant if you're expecting your first child, or you're expecting a multiple birth (like twins) and already have children, and you or your partner are already receiving certain benefits.

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All the rules are outlined below, reports ChronicleLive.

What you'll get

A Sure Start Maternity Grant is £500 and you do not have to pay it back. You may not get a grant if you already have children.

However, you may be eligible if you’re having twins or triplets. How much you’ll get depends on the children you already have.

If you already have children under 16

• If you have one or more (and none of them are from multiple births) - you can get £500 if you have twins and £1,000 if you have triplets.

• If you’ve already had twins - you can get £500 if you have triplets

Eligibility

Usually, to get a Sure Start Maternity Grant you must have no other children under 16 (unless you are having twins or triplets as detailed above). You or your partner must also get one of these benefits:

• Income Support

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

• income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Pension Credit

• Child Tax Credit

• Working Tax Credit that includes a disability or severe disability element

• Universal Credit

You may also qualify if you’re getting a Support for Mortgage Interest loan. If you live in Scotland you cannot get a Sure Start Maternity Grant. You can apply for a Pregnancy and Baby Payment instead.

If you already have children under 16, you may be able to get a grant if you or your partner get one of the benefits above and any of the following apply:

• you’re expecting a multiple birth (such as twins) - see details above about how much money you'll get

• the child you’re caring for is someone else’s (but not your partner’s) and the child was over 12 months old when the arrangement started

• you have refugee status, humanitarian protection or you’ve come to the UK from Afghanistan or Ukraine

• you’re claiming for a family member who’s under 16, or 16 to 19 and in certain types of education or training

How to claim

You can claim from 11 weeks before the week your baby is due. The latest you can claim is six months after your baby is born.

If you’re becoming responsible for a child, you must claim within six months of this happening. For example, if you’re adopting a child, you must claim within six months of the child being placed with you. Details of how to make a claim and the form to fill are available here.