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Parent and Child: Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods

(Read time: 3 minutes, 50 seconds)

The Best Start Grant is here to help you in three stages of your child’s life! From pregnancy through to starting primary school. It includes three payments: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment.

If you are under 18, you do not need to be on any payments or benefits for either the Best Start Grant or Best Start Foods. Over 18? You can apply whether you are in work or not, but you must be getting one of the following: 

  • Universal Credit 
  • Child Tax Credit 
  • Working Tax Credit 
  • Housing Benefit 
  • Income Support 
  • Pension Credit 
  • Job Seekers Allowance 
  • Employment and Support Allowance 

Let’s look at Pregnancy and Baby Payment first! 

This is a one-off payment of up to £642.35. You can receive this from 24 weeks into your pregnancy up until your baby turns 6 months for those who receive certain benefits. This is to help with the cost of having a baby, such as purchasing clothes, a pram, a cot, toys etc! 

So how much will you receive? 

  • £642.35 for your first and £321.20 for any child after that. 
  • Twins? Well, if you have no children under 16 you will receive £1,283.75 in total. This includes an extra payment for twins of £321.20. If you have other children over 16 you will receive £963.60. 
  • Triplets? In this case, you will be paid an extra £321.20 on top of what you get for twins. 

Next up we have the Early Learning Payment. This payment helps you buy things your child would need at this age including clothes, toys and trips. It is a payment of £267.65 and you can get it when your child is aged between 2 years, 3 years and 6 months old. 

Finally, in the Best Start Grant range, we have the School Age Payment. This helps you prepare for your child to start school when they are of age. This is a payment of £267.65 and you can get this payment for multiple children. You can also apply for the School Clothing Grant on top of this.

So, when do you have to apply by for the School Age Payment?

  • If your child’s date of birth is between 1st March 2017 and 28th February 2018 you can apply between the 1st of June 2022 and 28 February 2023.
  • If your child’s date of birth is between 1st March 2018 and 28th February 2019 you can apply between the 1st of June 2023 and 29th February 2024.

What is Best Start Foods, I hear you ask! This is a prepaid card that can help you buy healthy food like fruit and vegetables, milk, first infant formula milk, and eggs for a child under 3! 

You will receive a different amount along the child’s journey:

  • £18 every 4 weeks during pregancy
  • £36 every 4 weeks from when your child is born until they turn 1
  • £18 every 4 weeks from when your child is aged between 1 and 3

Depending upon your situation, the way that you need to apply for these payments may differ, so click here to find out more.

Remember you can always ask your Connector or a member of The Why Not? Team to provide guidance when it comes to applying.