A pram or travel system is one of the biggest single purchases before a baby arrives, and for families on a tight budget, government help can make a real difference. The support differs by nation: England, Wales and Northern Ireland have the Sure Start Maternity Grant, while Scotland has a different payment, the Pregnancy and Baby Payment. This guide explains both, using the official government pages, so that a pushchair budget can include any help that may be available.
England and Wales: the Sure Start Maternity Grant
GOV.UK describes the Sure Start Maternity Grant as a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the costs of having a child. It does not have to be paid back and does not affect other benefits (GOV.UK, “Sure Start Maternity Grant”). The grant is not available in Scotland.
The page says a person usually qualifies if both of the following apply:
- they are expecting a first child, or a multiple birth (such as twins) with children already; and
- they or their partner already receive certain benefits.
The qualifying benefits listed on GOV.UK’s eligibility page are income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit and Universal Credit. A Support for Mortgage Interest loan can also qualify a claimant. Usually there must be no other children under 16 in the family (GOV.UK, “Sure Start Maternity Grant: Eligibility”).
How and when to claim in England and Wales
According to GOV.UK’s claim guidance, a claim can be made from 11 weeks before the week the baby is due, and the latest date is six months after the birth. Claims are made by post, using the SF100 claim form together with evidence of the pregnancy or childbirth from a health professional, such as a doctor or midwife. The evidence can follow later if it is needed to meet the deadline. GOV.UK says a letter about the outcome should arrive within 28 days of the Department for Work and Pensions receiving the form and evidence, though it could take longer for someone who has recently made a new Universal Credit claim (GOV.UK, “Sure Start Maternity Grant: How to claim”).
Northern Ireland
The Department for Communities handles claims in Northern Ireland, and the same claim form, SF100, is used but with a different postal address. According to nidirect, the grant is a one-off, tax-free payment towards maternity expenses and baby items, is £500 for a claimant with no other children, and does not have to be repaid. A pregnant claimant can claim from 11 weeks before the baby is due, and a filled-in form must be sent within six months of the birth, even if a decision on a qualifying benefit is still awaited (nidirect, “Sure Start Maternity Grant”).
Scotland: the Pregnancy and Baby Payment
Scotland uses a different scheme. The Pregnancy and Baby Payment is part of the Best Start Grant, delivered by Social Security Scotland. As shown on the mygov.scot page in September 2026, it is £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for any child after the first. It can be claimed any time after the end of the 24th week of pregnancy until the day the baby is six months old. The page names a pram and a cot among the things it can be used for, and says the money can be spent on anything needed. A person cannot receive it if they have already received the Sure Start Maternity Grant for the same baby (mygov.scot, “Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods”).
The related eligibility page says applicants normally need to receive one of these: Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance. It states that Child Benefit on its own is not an accepted benefit for this purpose (mygov.scot, “Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods: Who can apply”).
Comparing the two schemes
- Amount: £500 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for a first child; £796.65 in Scotland.
- Application window: from 11 weeks before the due date to six months after birth in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; from the end of week 24 of pregnancy until the baby is six months old in Scotland.
- Method: a postal SF100 form in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; an application to Social Security Scotland in Scotland.
- Common thread: both are linked to qualifying benefits.
Putting a grant into a pushchair budget
GOV.UK describes the Sure Start Maternity Grant as help towards the costs of having a child, and nidirect describes it as help towards maternity expenses and baby items, so a pram falls within the purpose of the grant. Because the money is a lump sum that arrives only after a claim is processed, it helps to plan the purchase around the timescales above rather than assuming it will be in place at the point of buying. For budget planning, see what to check when buying a second-hand pram and what actually matters when comparing budget and premium travel systems.
The bottom line
Parents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive qualifying benefits and are expecting a first child may claim a £500 Sure Start Maternity Grant, by post, from 11 weeks before the due date to six months after the birth. In Scotland the equivalent is the Pregnancy and Baby Payment, currently £796.65 for a first child, claimed through Social Security Scotland. The Sure Start grant is a one-off payment that does not need to be repaid, and both schemes can help toward a pram.