Help with money and debt

Bringing up children can be costly and expensive. The web pages listed below will provide information on benefits, grants and allowances available to working and non-working parents including Tax credits as well as information to help you with the planning, budgeting, managing and balancing of your family finances.

• Gov.uk – benefits for families – including information about benefits, grants and allowances that you may be entitled to.
• Gov.uk – tax credits – are payments from the government. If you’re responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit. If you work, but earn low wages, you may qualify for Working Tax Credit.
• HMRC – Tax Credits Calculator. – This online tool helps you to work out roughly how much tax credit you are entitled to.
• Child Maintenance Options – gives advice and support to help parents make the best choices about child maintenance options to suit their individual circumstances.
• The Child Support Agency – helps tackle child poverty by making sure that parents who live apart from their children contribute financially to their upbringing by paying Child Maintenance.
• The Money Helper – Divorce and Separation - If you are going through divorce or separation, the Financial Services Authority Money Made Clear team can help you with the financial issues you face, providing advice to help you stay on top of your financial situation.
• Healthy Start - financial support towards food and vitamin supplements for pregnant woman or parents (with a child under four) on certain means-tested benefits.
• Free School Meals - for school children where a parent or carers is in receipt of a qualifying benefit.

Help with childcare costs

Childcare can be expensive. There are, however, a number of financial support schemes which could help you with the costs of childcare including Gov.uk – Tax credits, childcare voucher schemes and nursery education funding. Find out more about help with childcare costs.