The amount comes from the Department for Communities, which runs the grant in Northern Ireland. nidirect's own page does not print it.
Quick facts
- Amount
- £500, one-off
- Benefits
- Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related ESA
- Usually
- For your first child
- Twins or more
- You may still qualify with other children
- Claim from
- 11 weeks before the due date
- Claim by
- Six months after the birth
Who can get it — the full rules
You must get income-related ESA, Pension Credit or Universal Credit, or Support for Mortgage Interest payments. Usually you must have no other children in your family.
You may still qualify with other children if you are expecting twins or more, if you care for a child who is not your own, or if you have children from before you came to the UK as a refugee or from Afghanistan or Ukraine.
How and when to claim
Fill in claim form SF100 (Sure Start), from nidirect or the Social Fund Budgeting Loans service. You can claim from 11 weeks before the baby is due.
The form must reach the Department within six months of the birth, adoption or order. Send proof of the due date or birth, such as a MATB1.
Common questions
How much is the Sure Start Maternity Grant in Northern Ireland?
£500, one-off and tax-free.
Can I get a Sure Start Maternity Grant for a second child?
Usually not, unless you are expecting twins or more, or another exception applies.
When can I claim the Sure Start Maternity Grant?
From 11 weeks before the baby is due, up to six months after the birth.
Do I have to pay the Sure Start Maternity Grant back?
No.