If you're a single parent and working...

The Maternity Alliance bring you up to date on what you're entitled to

‘Single parent’, ‘lone parent’, or ‘one parent family’ are all terms which are used to describe you if you are bringing up a child or children on your own. You might be divorced, separated, widowed or never have married.If you are unmarried but living with a partner you will be seen as a couple, not a single parent, and any benefits you can receive will take your partner’s income into account.

I'm going to be a single parent soon. What can I claim when I leave work?

Before your baby is born:
If you have been working and paying National Insurance you will be able to get Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) or Maternity Allowance (MA) when you stop work. You will probably not be able to get Income Support until your baby is born. This is because the SMP or MA you receive is higher than the Income Support allowance for a single pregnant woman.

Once your baby is born:

  • You should tell the Benefits Agency immediately, as they will increase the amount of Income Support that you get
  • You should apply for Child Benefit (£15.00 a week for your first child, £10.00 for other children. Increasing from April 2001 to £15.50 for the first child and to £10.35 for subsequent children.)
  • Your income will now be below the allowance for a single parent with a baby, so you should also apply for Income Support
  • When your SMP or MA finishes you should inform the social security office, as your Income Support will have to be increased to make up the difference
  • If you go back to work for more than 16 hours a week see the next question

I want to return to my job after I have the baby. Will I only be able to claim Child Benefit?

  • If you work less than 16 hours a week you can earn up to £15 a week and still receive full Income Support. Any money earned over £15 will be deducted from your benefit
  • If you work 16 hours or more a week you cannot claim Income Support, but if your income is low you may be able to claim Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), a tax-free weekly benefit which tops up your earnings. Look on your Child Benefit Book or letter of award for a message telling you how much you can earn and still qualify for WFTC. Any maintenance you get is not taken into account when you make a claim for WFTC
  • If you are on a low income (including WFTC) you may get help with your rent and council tax by applying for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
  • If you have been receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance and receiving maintenance, you can claim a Child Maintenance Bonus when you return to work
  • If you have been receiving Income Support, you will continue to receive it for the first two weeks of your new job. You will also be able to continue receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax benefit for the first two weeks of your new job

What happens about child maintenance if I'm working?
To arrange child maintenance if you are working, not on benefit, and have no maintenance agreement, contact your nearest Child Support Agency office.

Child Support Agency (CSA)
PO Box 55, Brierly Hill, West Midlands, DY5 1YL
Tel: 01345 133133 (calls charged at local rate)

  • If you are on WFTC, maintenance is ignored when calculating your income for this tax credit
  • If you are working and not receiving any benefit, you will be able to keep the maintenance but, of course, your income would be taken into consideration when the child maintenance agreement is made

Help with childcare costs
You may be able to get a childcare tax credit to help with the cost of childcare if:

  • you are a single parent working at least 16 hours a weekand
  • you pay for registered childcare (eg a childminder, nursery, playscheme or out-of-school club)and
  • you qualify for WFTC
If you qualify, you can get extra WFTC which will pay for up to 70% of your childcare costs up to a maximum cost of £100 for one child or £150 for two or more children. This means that the childcare tax credit is worth up to £70 a week (one child) or £105 a week (two or more children).
If you apply for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, some registered childcare costs will be taken into account.
If you use informal childcare, there is no help for childcare costs.

Contact your local council for information about low-cost council nurseries (as a single parent you may be considered a priority to get a place, but there is usually a long waiting list so apply early.)

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
  • Free milk while you are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Free vitamins while you are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Free milk and vitamins for your child up to age 5
  • £300 Sure Start Maternity Grant
  • A refund on fares to the hospital or clinic
  • 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
While you are receiving WFTC you may also get:
  • Reduced-price formula milk powder at child health clinics
  • A refund on fares to the hospital or clinic
  • £200 Sure Start Maternity Grant
  • Free NHS dental treatment
  • Free prescriptions
  • A discretionary Social Fund Crisis Loan. This has to be repaid
  • If you have a low income and you need money urgently in a crisis, you may be eligible for a discretionary Social Fund Crisis Loan. This has to be repaid

FOR MORE ADVICE AND INFORMATION

National Council for One-Parent Families
255 Kentish Town Road,
London NW5 2LX
Tel: 020 7428 5400 Monday to Friday 9.15-5.15
Free information on a whole range of issues.

Gingerbread
35 Wellington Street,
London WC2E 7BN,
Tel: 020 7240 0953.
Wales: Tel: 01792 648728.
Scotland: Tel: 0141 353 0989.
Northern Ireland: Tel: 028 90231147.
Local self-help groups offering services to lone parents and their children, including advice, information, holidays and outings.

Citizen's Advice Bureau
Look in the phone book to find the nearest one. They can give basic advice, including housing, welfare rights, family and employment.

Child Support Agency (CSA)
PO Box 55, Brierly Hill,
West Midlands, DY5 1YL
Tel: 01345 133133 (calls charged at local rate).

One Parent Families Scotland
13 Gayfield Square,
Edinburgh, EH1 3NX
Tel: 0131 556 3899.
Produce a Rights Guide for lone parents, £3.

Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC)
Ring the WFTC response line for more details.
Tel: Freephone 0800 5975976

For more information about working parents’ rights see the Maternity Alliance website.

Or contact The Maternity Alliance office:

45 Beech Street
London EC2P 2LX
Information line: 020 7588 8582