If you're a single parent and working

Help with childcare costs

Working Tax Credit (WTC) can include help with the cost of childcare if:

• you are a single parent working at least 16 hours a week and
• you pay for registered or approved childcare (eg a childminder, nursery, playscheme or out-of-school club) and
• you qualify for WTC.

WTC can help with up to 80 per cent of your childcare costs up to a maximum cost of £175 for one child or £300 for two or more children (called the childcare element of WTC). This means that the childcare element is worth up to £140 a week (one child) or £240 a week (two or more children).

If you apply for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, an allowance for registered or approved childcare costs will be used when your earnings are taken into account. If you use informal childcare, there is no help for childcare costs.

Other help available

While you are pregnant and for a year after birth:

• Free NHS dental treatment
• Free prescriptions

While you are receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance:

• Free NHS dental treatment
• Free prescriptions
• Healthy Start help (vouchers for milk, fruit and vegetables) whilst you are pregnant and until your child is 4
• Help with fares to hospital
• Free school meals for your child
• Extra money in prolonged cold weather (cold weather payments)
• A discretionary Community Care Grant to help in certain circumstances, such as buying equipment for a disabled child, or setting up home after you have left a hostel, a violent relationship, a mother and baby home or local authority care
• A discretionary Budgeting Loan if you need something essential that you can't afford to buy. This has to be repaid.

Some of this help is also available if you get tax credits and you are on a low income, especially if you work less than 16 hours a week. You should seek advice if you need help with these costs and are not sure if you qualify.

For more advice and information

One Parent Families
255 Kentish Town Road,
London NW5 2LX
Tel: 0800 018 5026

www.oneparentfamilies.org.uk
Free information on a whole range of issues.

One Parent Families Scotland
13 Gayfield Square,
Edinburgh, EH1 3NX
Helpline: 0808 801 0323.
www.oneparentfamiliesscotland.org.uk

Gingerbread
307 Borough High Street
London SE1 1JH
Tel: 0800 018 4318
www.gingerbread.org.uk
Free advice on a range of issues, plus local self-help groups offering services to lone parents and their children, including advice, information, holidays and outings.

Gingerbread Northern Ireland
www.gingerbreadni.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 808 8090

Citizen's Advice Bureau
Look in the phone book to find the nearest one or go to www.citizensadvice.org.uk. They can give advice and help on a range of issues which affect lone parents, including housing, welfare rights, family and employment.

Tax Credits
Tax Credits Helpline: 0845 300 3900
For more information about working parents' rights see the Working Families website, www.workingfamilies.org.uk.
Or contact the helpline: 0800 013 0313
1-3 Berry Street
London EC1V 0AA