Help if you have children

There may be financial help available to you if you have children or are expecting a child.

• Great British Summer Savings
• Free bus travel for children
• Benefits and tax credits
• Healthy Start
• Maternity Grant
• School meals
• Childcare costs
• Before and after school clubs
• Holiday playschemes
• Low cost activities 

Great British Summer Savings

From 25 June to 1 September, the Government has slashed VAT on the costs of children's restaurant meals, children's tickets for theatres and cinemas and all tickets for attractions like soft play, amusement parks, and museums. This allows lower prices and ultimately makes summer days out more affordable for more families. 

Find summer savings near you .

Free bus travel for children

To help families get around when driving might not always be an option, children aged 5-15 will be able to travel for free on participating local buses across England throughout August.

Benefits and tax credits

Find details of the support you could receive if you are having a baby or already have a child on the government's website .

You can check what benefits you may be eligible for by using our benefits calculator , which is completely anonymous and free to use.

Healthy Start

If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, you may be able to get help to buy healthy food and milk, and to obtain vitamins. Find out more about Healthy Start here .

Maternity Grant

If you are expecting your first child, you may be entitled to £500 through the Sure Start Maternity Grant. Visit the government's website to check if you are eligible .

School meals

If you are a parent or carer of a child at school in year 3 or above, you may be able to apply for free school meals if you are in receipt of certain benefits. Check your eligibility here .

Childcare costs

If you need help with the cost of childcare, you can find out what you may be entitled to by using the government's childcare cost calculator . 

Before and after school clubs

If you are struggling to fit your working pattern around school hours, you can find Ofsted registered before and after school childcare by searching the Family Information and Services hub .

Holiday activities

For support throughout the school holidays, you can find providers of the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme at the Connect4Communites website .

You can find other holiday provisions by searching for activites in your area .