Help with baby essentials for low-income families

A new baby needs a safe place to sleep, a car seat if you travel by car, clothes, nappies, feeding equipment and plenty of washing. On a low income, these costs arrive at the moment when earnings often drop, because of maternity leave, reduced hours or a partner who has left. The good news is that the United Kingdom has specific grants for this stage of life, and a network of baby banks that give away good-quality items.

Claim the help first, borrow only what remains, and keep the baby's safety ahead of price on a few key items.

Grants for a new baby

England, Wales and Northern Ireland: Sure Start Maternity Grant

The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off payment of £500 that you do not repay. It is usually for a first child, or for a multiple birth, and you must receive a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Pension Credit or certain tax credits. You can claim from 11 weeks before the due date until six months after the birth, so it is worth applying early.

Scotland: Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods

In Scotland, Social Security Scotland pays the Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, which, unlike the Sure Start grant, is also available for later children, at a lower amount. Best Start Foods provides a payment card for healthy food and milk, and the Scottish Child Payment adds a weekly sum for each child under 16 in families on qualifying benefits. Every baby born in Scotland is offered a free baby box of essentials.

Healthy Start

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Healthy Start scheme gives a prepaid card to eligible pregnant women and families with children under four. It can be used for milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables, and you can also get free vitamins.

Regular income that rises with a baby

• Child Benefit: claim as soon as the birth is registered. Payments can be backdated only for a limited period.
• Universal Credit: report the birth so that the child element is added. Check whether the two-child limit applies to your family.
• Statutory Maternity Pay from your employer, or Maternity Allowance if you are self-employed or do not qualify for SMP.
• Free prescriptions and NHS dental treatment during pregnancy and for 12 months after the birth with a maternity exemption certificate in England.

Baby banks and free items

Baby banks collect donated clothes, prams, cots, Moses baskets, slings, nappies and toiletries and pass them on free to families who need them. Most work by referral from a midwife, health visitor, social worker, children's centre or family hub, so ask any of them. Family hubs and children's centres can also help with parenting support, feeding advice and local grants. Freecycle groups, local swap groups and charity shops are other good sources of baby clothes, which are outgrown within weeks.

If your landlord or housing association knows you are expecting, ask about safe space for a cot and any damp problems; some councils' welfare funds help with bedding or a cot for families in crisis.

Where not to cut corners

Some items are safer bought new or from a trusted source:

• Mattress: a new, firm, flat mattress that fits the cot snugly, in line with safe sleep advice.
• Car seat: second-hand seats may have hidden crash damage or be missing parts; only accept one from someone you know who can confirm its history.
• Bottles and teats should be in good condition and sterilised before use.

Prams, clothes, baths, baby carriers and changing mats are usually fine second-hand once checked and cleaned.

A realistic list for the first weeks

• A cot, crib or Moses basket with a new mattress and fitted sheets.
• Sleepsuits, vests and a hat in newborn and first sizes.
• Nappies, cotton wool or wipes and a changing mat.
• Feeding equipment suited to breast or formula feeding.
• A pram, pushchair or sling, and a car seat if you travel by car.
• Blankets suitable for safe sleep, rather than duvets or pillows.

Many "essentials" lists from shops include items that are nice but not needed, such as bottle warmers, special baby baths or expensive changing bags. Health visitors can tell you what really matters. Buy nappies and formula gradually rather than in bulk before the birth, because babies grow quickly, and some need a different size or type within weeks. If you breastfeed, ask about free local breastfeeding support groups, which can save money on formula and equipment.

Credit as a last resort

Before any borrowing, check that every grant has been claimed and that your Universal Credit or Child Benefit claim includes the baby.

Pram and nursery furniture shops often promote buy now pay later or store finance. Several small agreements taken in the same month can soon become unmanageable, especially when maternity pay starts. If you still need to spread the cost:

• ask for a Universal Credit Budgeting Advance, repaid without interest from later payments;
• try a local credit union, whose interest is capped;
• look at loans for single-parent households if you are bringing up a baby alone, to see which options are safest.

Avoid rent-to-own shops for nursery furniture, which can cost far more than buying outright, and ignore social media sellers asking for a deposit on a cheap pram or cot before you have seen it.

Related help

Childcare costs come later but deserve early planning: see our guide on help with childcare costs. If you are short of food while waiting for a first payment, our page on family food assistance lists food banks and other support. For clothing for older children too, read about help with essential clothing.