Parental leave and benefits
Leave, pay and help with the cost of a new baby: who qualifies, how much you get and how to claim.
Leave and pay
How much time off you can take, what you are paid and when to tell your employer.
Maternity leave and pay: how much you get and how to plan itMaternity leave lasts up to 52 weeks, and Statutory Maternity Pay covers 39 of them: 90% of your average earnings for six weeks, then up to £194.32 a ...
Paternity leave and pay: day-one rights and what you getYou can now take up to two weeks' paternity leave from day one in a job, but paternity pay still needs 26 weeks' service. Here's what you get and when...
Benefits and help with costs
Child Benefit, free childcare hours, Tax-Free Childcare and Healthy Start.
Child Benefit for a new baby: how much and how to claimChild Benefit is £27.05 a week for a first child. When to apply after the birth, which parent should claim and why it's still worth it if you earn ove...
Free childcare and Tax-Free Childcare: what you can getWorking parents in England can get 30 free hours a week from 9 months, and Tax-Free Childcare adds £2 for every £8 you pay. Here's who qualifies and w...
Healthy Start: who can get it and how much it's worthHealthy Start puts £4.65 to £9.30 a week on a card for milk, fruit, veg and formula, plus free vitamins, for low-income families expecting a baby or w...
We update these guides when the rules or rates change. Each guide says at the top what changed and when it was last checked.