Will I be entitled to anything else for the baby?
Child benefit
Currently everyone gets child benefit. You get £20.30 a week for your eldest child, and £13.40 a week for each of your other children. You need to apply for it using form CH2 (you can download it from 'Links to other websites' on the right).
From January 2013, you won't be able to receive child benefit if you or your partner are a higher rate tax payer.
Tax credits
Some people with children are entitled to some level of child tax credit. If you will be, and how much, depends on your circumstances and income. The threshold will go down in April 2011, but you will still be able to claim on incomes below £43,875 each year.
The tax credit calculation is very complicated. To check if you are entitled and how much you will get, see an adviser or use HMRC's calculator: see 'Links to other websites'.
Watch out!
If you take more than 39 weeks maternity leave and your SMP or maternity allowance has stopped, tell the HMRC immediately. It may make a big difference to what you are entitled to as you will no longer be counted as working.
Maternity grants
If you are on a low-income, and this is your first baby you may also be able to get a £500 maternity grant from the Social Fund. If you or your partner get Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit, the disability element of Working Tax Credit, or get Child Tax Credit at a rate higher than just the family element you should apply. Use form SF100 (Sure Start) available from 'Links to other websites'.
Healthy start vouchers
Some people on low incomes (and mums under 18) get healthy start vouchers which you can swap for milk, fresh fruit and vegetables, and infant formula milk. You can check if you are entitled from 'Links to other websites'.
