Can Stay At Home Dad Claim Benefits?

If you are wondering about whether stay at home dads can claim benefits, you will find the answer to this question in the blog post below. In addition to this, we will also list down the benefits that stay at home dads can claim and explain their eligibility criteria, as well guide you on how to apply for them.

Can Stay At Home Dad Claim Benefits?

Yes, stay at home dads can claim benefits if they meet the eligibility criteria for the benefit(s) they intend to claim.

Here is a list of benefits that stay at home dads can claim if they qualify to be eligible:

• Child Benefit
• Universal Credit
• Child Tax Credit
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit

However, with Universal Credit replacing Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance , Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Working Tax Credit, you will not be able to apply for the benefits that are being replaced with a fresh claim. 

Instead, it is advisable to mention the necessary details in your Universal Credit claim application so that you can prove their eligibility for additional elements of the benefit such as housing and child care costs. 

Should you qualify, these elements will be added to the standard allowance of their Universal Credit claim and increase the amount that you can claim as a stay at home dad.

In addition to this, stay at home dads can also claim the following benefits:

• if you claim Universal Credit and have a child under 5 years of age, you can claim Cold Weather Payments as a stay at home dad
• if you are on a low income and receive certain benefits, you can claim free school meals for your school going children
• if you are a stay at home dad who is under the age of 20 and still in education, you may be able to claim the Care to Learn benefit

How Can Stay At Home Dads Prove Their Eligibility To Claim Benefits?

As a stay at home dad, you would need to prove your eligibility for each benefit that you intend to claim and will be assessed separately in each case.

To be eligible for Universal Credit, a stay at home dad should be:

• live in the UK
• over 18 years and under State Pension age
• have £16,000 or less in savings (includes their partner’s savings too)

In the case of Child Benefit, a stay at home dad only needs to prove the age of their child (or children). In case of a child above the age of 16, they would also need to provide evidence of whether or not their child is in approved training or education.

You can also use this online tool on the Government’s website to check benefits and financial support you can get.

How Much Can A Stay At Home Dad Claim With Universal Credit?

The amount that you can claim with Universal Credit as a stay at home dad depends on your circumstances. These are classified below:

• if you are a single stay at home dad under the age of 25 years, you can get the standard allowance of £265.31 per month
• if you are a single stay at home dad older than 25 years of age, you can get the standard allowance of £334.91 per month
• if you are a stay at home dad who is part of a couple and both of you are under the age of 25 years you can get the standard allowance of £416.45 per month
• if you are a stay at home dad who is part of a couple and both of you are older than 25 years of age, you can get the standards allowance of £525.72 per month

In addition to this, you will be able to claim the child element of Universal Credit as per the below classification, depending on the number of children you have:

To apply for Universal Credit as a stay at home dad, you can file a claim online. 

How Much Can A Stay At Home Dad Claim With Child Benefit?

The amount that a stay at home dad can claim with Child Benefit is classified as follows:

• in case of the eldest or only child, a stay at home dad can claim a weekly amount of £21.80 for Child Benefit 
• for any additional children, they can claim a weekly amount of £14.45 per child

Payments are made every four weeks into the claimant’s bank account. However, single parents and Universal Credit recipients can claim weekly payments for Child Benefit. 

To claim Child Benefit for one or more children, you will need to fill out the Child Benefit claim form CH2 and send it to the Child Benefit office (the address is mentioned in the form).

Conclusion:

The above discussion not only helps to answer the question of whether or not stay at home dads can claim benefits but also provides guidance on the benefits one may be able to claim as a stay at home dad and how to go about filing a claim for them.

References:

Benefits and financial support for families – GOV.UK

Benefits for stay at home parents | Morses Club

What can I claim when I have a child? – Working Families