A pram can be a hard cost to meet in one go. GOV.UK describes two repayable schemes: the Budgeting Loan and, for people on Universal Credit, the Budgeting Advance. Both are borrowing, not grants. This guide compares them as described on GOV.UK pages read on 25 October 2026. For money that is not repaid, see the guide to help paying for a pram.
Will either scheme pay for a pram?
GOV.UK does not say so in either direction. Its Budgeting Loan page lists “maternity costs” among the things a loan can help pay for, alongside furniture or household items and clothes or footwear. Its Budgeting Advance page lists furniture, household items, clothes or footwear, and “essential items for your family such as mobility aids or child safety products”. Neither list names prams or pushchairs. The contacts the pages give are the Social Fund Enquiry Line for loans and the Universal Credit helpline for advances.
The two schemes side by side
| Budgeting Loan | Budgeting Advance | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | People who have received Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit for the past 6 months | People who get Universal Credit |
| Smallest amount | £100 | £100 |
| Largest amounts stated | £348 single, £464 with a partner, £812 if you or your partner claim Child Benefit | £348 single, £464 part of a couple, £812 if you have children |
| Repayment | Interest free, taken from benefits, normally within 2 years (104 weeks) | Taken from Universal Credit payments, usually over 24 months |
| How to apply | Online or paper form SF500 | Universal Credit journal, work coach or helpline |
Budgeting Loan: the rules that catch people out
The GOV.UK eligibility page says you cannot get a Budgeting Loan if you currently get Universal Credit, if you get New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance or New Style Employment and Support Allowance, if you are involved in industrial action, or if you owe more than £1,500 in total for Crisis Loans and Budgeting Loans. The amount offered depends on whether you can pay the loan back, whether you have savings of more than £1,000 (£2,000 if you or your partner are 63 or over), and whether you are repaying an existing loan.
After applying online, GOV.UK says the decision arrives within 7 days by text or email, or 21 days by letter, and the money follows within 7 days of accepting an online offer. The loan is paid into the account your benefit is paid into. GOV.UK says there is a different way to get a Budgeting Loan in Northern Ireland.
Budgeting Advance: the rules that catch people out
For a Budgeting Advance, GOV.UK says you need to have been getting Universal Credit, Employment and Support Allowance or Pension Credit for 6 months or more, or need the money to help you start a new job or stay in work. You will not be eligible if you have earned more than £2,600 (£3,600 together for couples) in the past 6 months, or if you have not paid off a previous Budgeting Advance, because only one can be held at a time.
It cannot be used for ongoing costs such as food, household bills, rent or paying off debts. If repayments become hard to afford, GOV.UK says you can ask for them to be delayed for up to 6 months.
Worked example from GOV.UK
GOV.UK’s own example for an advance is £240, repaid over 24 months, with £10 taken off each monthly payment. It is an illustration of how repayments work, not a price for any pram.
Not the same as a first-payment advance
GOV.UK also describes a separate advance for people waiting for a first Universal Credit payment. The most available under that scheme is the amount of the first estimated payment, and it is usually repaid within 24 months. The Budgeting Advance in this guide is for people who already get Universal Credit and need help with a one-off cost.
If benefits stop before the money is repaid
For a Budgeting Loan, GOV.UK says a letter from DWP Debt Management explains how to repay once benefits stop, and the loan can be paid back in full or by regular monthly payments. For a Budgeting Advance, it says you still have to pay it back if you stop claiming Universal Credit, and that deductions will usually continue if you move to another benefit.
If you disagree with a loan decision
GOV.UK says a Budgeting Loan decision can be looked at again if an application was unsuccessful or the amount granted is disputed. The request must arrive within 28 days of the date on the decision letter.
Other schemes by nation
GOV.UK’s “other help” page lists the Discretionary Assistance Fund in Wales, a Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant in Scotland, and Discretionary Support or a Short-term Benefit Advance in Northern Ireland, as well as help from a local council and Jobcentre Plus.
The bottom line
Budgeting Loans and Budgeting Advances are repayable, and GOV.UK’s lists of what they cover do not name prams. Which one applies depends mainly on whether Universal Credit is being claimed. Amounts stated on GOV.UK start at £100 and reach £812, with repayment over about two years.
Sources
- Budgeting Loans: How they work (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: Eligibility (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: What you’ll get (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: How to apply (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: Paying back the loan (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: After you apply (gov.uk)
- Budgeting Loans: Other help you can get (gov.uk)
- Universal Credit advance or hardship payment: Get an advance for unexpected costs (gov.uk)
- Universal Credit advance or hardship payment: Get an advance on your first payment (gov.uk)