On this page you will find information about:
- Childcare and nursery costs.
- Maternity and Paternity leave.
- Posting overseas with children.
If you are worried about how your finances may affect your children, we have created a list of guidance to support you. This includes information about supporting childcare costs, maternity and paternity leave/pay and saving for your children.
This guide includes information for those who are pregnant, using a surrogate, adopting, or fostering a child.
For currently serving personnel and their families
As a member of HM Armed Forces or a family member of, you will be entitled to some in-service benefits. You can find out more about what you are eligible for on the Discover My Benefits website.
Find out more about the benefits of working in HM Armed Forces on the Discover My Benefits website.
Maternity leave, pay and your rights as a pregnant service person
If you have a baby, use a surrogate to have a baby, or adopt a child you may be entitled to support.
1. Armed Forces Occupational Maternity Scheme (AFOMS)
Armed Forces Occupational Maternity Scheme (AFOMS)
All service personnel who give birth are entitled to 52 weeks of maternity leave under the AFOMS. Service personnel are not entitled under law to Statutory Maternity Leave (SML) but may meet eligibility criteria to be able to qualify.
Your circumstances | Leave entitlement | Pay entitlement |
Those with a years continuous service who intend to work for a minimum of 12 months following maternity leave. | 52 weeks maternity leave | Full pay for the first 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 38 weeks of Statutory Pay.The first 26 weeks of pay may be enhanced to the service person’s full rate of pay. |
Surrogate mothers who enter into an arrangement to have a surrogate pregnancy | 52 weeks maternity leave | You may also be entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay and Occupational Pay. |
If you have given birth, you will be screened from deployment in the UK or overseas for at least six months after. However, you can volunteer to be exempt from this scheme.
The services also endeavour not to deploy both serving parents at the same time, where this does not compromise operational capability.
Although those who serve in the Armed Forces are exempt from flexible working provisions in the UK employment legislation there are schemes in place to support the work-life balance of all employees.
Those who are on Flexible Service (part-time working):
If you are on Flexible Service and proceed on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave you will have the option to either suspend or end your Flexible Service arrangement.
2. Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
As a service person, you may qualify for SMP if you:
- have served for a continuous period of at least 26 weeks into the Qualifying Week, including one day’s service in the Qualifying Week, and
- meet the Earnings Rule, which means that you must have had average weekly earnings not less than the Lower Earnings Limit in the eight weeks up to and including the last payday immediately before the end of the Qualifying week.
Additionally, you must:
- Still be pregnant at the 11th week before the Expected Week of Childbirth (EWC) or have given birth by this time.
- Notify your Commanding Officer that you are pregnant, giving at least 28 days’ notice if the date that you expect your maternity leave to start.
- Produce medical confirmation of your pregnancy which gives the EWC. This could be a maternity certificate MATB1 or other statement from a medical practitioner or registered midwife by the 15th week before EWC.
SMP is a weekly payment payable for a maximum on 39 weeks. The 39 weeks in which SMP is paid is known as the Maternity Pay Period (MPP).
The amount of SMP that you could receive depends on your rate of pay. If you meet the eligibility criteria you are entitled to receive SMP whether or not you intend to return to duty following your pregnancy.
Read more about Statutory Maternity Pay in JSP 760, Chapter 24 on GOV.UK.
Your rights as a pregnant Service person:
Your rights as a pregnant service person are protected under The Equality Act 2010. Under this Act employers are prohibited from discriminating, victimising, or harassing you because of your sex, pregnancy, or maternity, which are protected characteristics.
3. Armed Forces Occupational Adoption Leave Scheme (AFOALS)
Armed Forces Occupational Adoption Leave Scheme (AFOALS)
Service personnel who qualify, regardless of their length of service, are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave.
This information is relevant to full-time service personnel, reservists, and volunteer forces.
To be eligible for AFOALS for an overseas adoption you must:
- be newly matched to a child to be placed with you by an adoption agency recognised in the UK
- have notified the agency that you agree that the child will be placed with you and agree with the date of the placement, and
- notify your Commanding Officer/Line Manager (CO/LM) in writing of when you wish to take Adoption Leave no more than seven days after you have notified that you have been matched with a child and provide the required documentary evidence using the Application for Adoption Leave Form, JPA Form R008.
To be eligible for AFOALS Adoption Leave for UK adoption you must:
- be the child’s adopter (this is the person who will adopt or has adopted the child or, in a case where the child will be or has been adopted by two people jointly, whichever of the joint adopters who has chosen to take adoption leave in respect of the child)
- have received official notification from the relevant UK authority confirming the central authority has, or is prepared to, issue a certificate confirming that you are eligible to adopt and have been assessed and approved as being a suitable adoptive parent, and
- provide your CO/LM with the correct notification.
4. Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP)
Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP)
SAP is a weekly payment which you can receive for up to 39 weeks from the date that Ordinary Adoption Leave (OAL) starts. If you are adopting as part of a couple, you can choose which adoptive parent will receive SAP, they are known as the primary adopter, and which will receive paid paternity leave.
Service Personnel are not entitled under law to Statutory Adoption Leave, however, provision for Adoption Leave equating to statutory arrangements is made by the AFOALS.
The amount of SAP you could receive will depend on your rate of pay.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria because of a break in service, you will be entitled to 26 weeks’ full pay under AFOALS if you have been out of service for five years or less, and your previous service amounts to a year’s continuous service.
If you are a Reservist with more than one employer, you may be able to receive SAP from both the MOD and your other employer.
Find out more about AFOALS and SAP in JSP 760, Chapter 25 on GOV.UK.
Paternity leave and pay
The Armed Forces Occupational Paternity Leave Scheme (AFOPLS) provides qualifying fathers with 14 days of Statutory Paternity Leave, instead of the 10 days provided by Ordinary Statutory Paternity Leave. Additionally, if eligible a qualifying father could receive two weeks’ full pay rate at the time of the birth of a child or a child’s placement in the case of adoptions.
To be considered eligible for AFOPLS you must be the:
- father
- spouse, civil partner or partner of the mother or adopter, or
- intended parent (if you are having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement).
The scheme applied to those who are serving in the Regular Forces, some Reserve Forces and some serving as a Volunteer Reservist.
Adoption leave and pay
The Armed Forces Occupational Adoption Leave Scheme (AFOALS) defines the entitlement of Service Personnel to leave and pay when adopting a child.
If eligible, qualifying service personnel are entitled to take:
- Up to 52 weeks adoption leave, and
- 39 weeks of Statutory pay. The first 26 weeks of which may be enhanced to the Service persons full rate of pay.
Additionally, you may be eligible to take time off to attend pre-adoption and antenatal appointments.
The scheme applied to those who are serving in the Regular Forces, some Reserve Forces and some serving as a Volunteer Reservist.
Read guidance for service personnel who are adopting or fostering on the GOV.UK website.
Saving for your children
There are many different bank accounts, children’s pensions, and saving options you can use to give your child a head start.
Find out about the different types of savings on the Government guidance website, MoneyHelper.
Childcare
Various support is available to families with children in the UK and overseas. As service parents and carers, you have access to some extra support programmes provided by the government and MOD.
1. Children in the UK
If your child or children are living in the UK there are a number of schemes that you may be able to access.
The childcare choices website can help you find out more about what you may be eligible for, how to apply and further guidance on the schemes.
Read more about childcare support schemes on the Childcare Choices website
Wraparound childcare
Wraparound childcare is available to service families with children in the UK and overseas. The scheme is also known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Age Childcare’ in Scotland.
The scheme is available for children who are ages 4 to 11 and those who are ages 4 to 16 who are in receipt of certain disability benefits.
Eligible Tri-Service Personnel can register for up to 20 hours of ‘before and after school’ childcare per child, per week, 39 weeks per year (term time only).
Find out more about eligibility criteria and how to apply for the scheme on GOV.UK.
England
The links below can be used to find guidance and support with childcare in England:
Northern Ireland
The links below can be used to find guidance and support with childcare in Northern Ireland:
Scotland
The links below can be used to find guidance and support with childcare in Scotland:
Wales
The links below can be used to find guidance and support with childcare in Wales:
2. Service children overseas
For service children in overseas locations, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) provides services (or access to services) that, so far as is reasonably practicable, conform in type, scope and standard to that required by legislation in England.
Wraparound childcare
Wraparound childcare is available to service families with children in the UK and overseas. The scheme is also known as ‘Out of School care’ in Wales and ‘School Age Childcare’ in Scotland.
The scheme is available for children who are ages 4 to 11 and those who are ages 4 to 16 who are in receipt of certain disability benefits.
Eligible Tri-Service Personnel can register for up to 20 hours of ‘before and after school’ childcare per child, per week, 39 weeks per year (term time only).
Overseas Nursery Authority (ONA)
The ONA is in place to mirror the provision of funded childcare in England to those in locations outside of the UK, where possible.
The ONA ensures that Service families are not disadvantaged when assigned overseas in an area that does not have Defence Children Services (DCS) settings, which provide childcare support for the equivalent of children aged 9 months to 4 years in England.
This includes:
- 15 hours’ funded childcare for their 3 to 4-year-old children and 2-year-old children when in receipt of additional government support, for 38 weeks of the year.
- 15 hours of funded childcare for their 9 months to 3-year-old children from the term after they turn 9 months old.
- up to 30 hours’ funded childcare for their 3 to 4-year-old children from the term following their third birthday.
From September 2025, eligible working families can claim up to 30 hours of free childcare for children aged 9 months up to school age.
More information about the services available and how to access them can be found on the GOV.UK webpages listed below.
Find out more about services available to service children and young people overseas on GOV.UK.
Read JSP 342 The education of service children overseas on GOV.UK.
3. If you are returning to the UK from overseas or moving within the UK
The timing of your return or move may determine your eligibility for some schemes. It is advised that you begin the process of applying for support as soon as you are aware of your move as term deadlines apply.
Find out more about applying for childcare when you are returning to the UK from overseas on GOV.UK.
For ex-service personnel and civilian members of the Armed Forces community
Maternity leave and your rights as a pregnant person in civilian employment – England, Northern Ireland, and Wales
In civilian employment, if you have a baby, use a surrogate to have a baby, adopt a child, or are fostering a child that you are planning to adopt, you are entitled to support.
You may be eligible for more than is listed below if your employer has a company maternity scheme, but they cannot offer you less than the statutory amount.
The benefit tool below can help you check if you can receive:
- Statutory Maternity Leave or Pay
- Statutory Paternity Leave or Pay, and
- Maternity Allowance.
1. Statutory Maternity Leave (SML)
SML is made up of 52 weeks’ leave. You do not have to take all of the 52 weeks' that you are entitled to, but you must take two weeks’ leave after your baby is born, or four weeks’ leave if you work in a factory.
The 52 weeks’ leave is made up of:
- Ordinary Maternity Leave, which is the first 26 weeks, and
- Additional Maternity Leave which is the last 26 weeks.
Eligibility
Eligibility
To qualify for Statutory Maternity Leave, you must:
- be an employee, and
- give your employer the correct notice.
It does not matter how long you have been with an employer, how many hours you work or how much you get paid.
Making a claim
Making a claim
At least 15 weeks before your due date you must:
- tell your employer when the baby is due, and
- when you plan to start your maternity leave.
Your employer can ask for this in writing and must write back to you within 28 days to confirm your start and end dates.
Find out more about Statutory Maternity Leave in Northern Ireland on the nidirect website.
Read more about Statutory Maternity Leave in England, Scotland and Wales on GOV.UK.
2. Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
SMP is paid for up to 39 weeks either weekly or monthly, depending on how your wages are paid. SMP usually starts when you begin your maternity leave, or it will start automatically if you are off work for a pregnancy related illness in the four weeks leading up to the expected week of childbirth.
You will receive 90% of your average weekly pay for the first six weeks and £172.98, or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks. National insurance and tax are deducted from your SMP.
If you take Shared Parental Leave you will receive Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Shpp) which is £172.48 or 90% of your weekly earnings (whichever is lower).
Eligibility
Eligibility
To qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay you must:
- earn on average at least £123 a week
- give your employer the correct notice and proof that you are pregnant, and
- have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks continuously into the ‘qualifying week’ which is the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.
Making a claim
Making a claim
You will need to inform your employer to begin the process and give them at least 28 days’ notice of:
- when you want to stop work to have a baby, and
- the day you want your SMP to start.
Your employer can ask for this in writing.
Additionally, you must provide your employer with proof of pregnancy within 21 days of your SMP start date. This can be:
- a letter from your doctor or midwife, or
- your MATB1 certificate. Doctors and midwives will give you this no more than 20 weeks before the due date.
If your employer decides that you are not eligible, they must give you form SMP1 within seven days of making the decision to explain why.
3. Early births or if you lose the baby
You can still receive Statutory Maternity leave and Statutory Maternity Pay if your baby is born early, is stillborn after your 24th week of pregnancy or dies after being born.
Learn more about Statutory Maternity Pay in:
4. Maternity Allowance
If you are self-employed, have recently stopped working, take part in unpaid work for the business of your spouse or civil partner, or are unemployed but cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay, you may be able to get Maternity Allowance.
Maternity Allowance is paid every two to four weeks.
What you could receive will depend on your circumstances and contributions such as:
- if you are employed or have recently stopped working
- you are self employed
- if you have paid less than 13 weeks of contributions, or
- if you do paid work for your spouse or civil partner’s business.
Learn more about how your circumstances could affect your claim for Maternity Allowance on GOV.UK.
Claiming Maternity Allowance may affect other benefit payments that you receive.
Making a Claim
Making a Claim
You can make a claim for Maternity Allowance after you have been pregnant for 26 weeks and payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due.
To make a claim you will need to provide certain information with your claim form:
- Proof of income – such as original payslips or a Certificate of Small Earnings Exemption.
- Proof of a due date and birth – you will need to provide this even if the baby has already been born. This could be a letter from your doctor or midwife, MATB1 certificate, a birth certificate.
- Information about your employment in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.
You may also need to provide an SMP1 form if you were refused Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) by your employer, or more information about your partner’s self employed business and they unpaid work you do for them (if you are applying for Maternity Allowance for up to 14 weeks).
To make a claim for Maternity Allowance you will need to complete and return a form by post, or online.
Application form – England, Scotland, and Wales
Application form – Northern Ireland
Find out more about applying for Maternity Allowance in Northern Ireland on the nidirect website.
If you cannot print the form, you can order one to be delivered to you.
Order a Maternity Allowance form to be delivered from GOV.UK.
If you would like a copy of the form in braille, large print, or audio CD contact Jobcentre Plus
Find the contact details for the Jobcentre Plus on the GOV.UK website.
You should receive a decision within 20 working days. If you disagree with the decision, you can challenge it by asking for a Mandatory Reconsideration.
Find out more about challenging a Maternity Allowance decision on GOV.UK.
If your circumstances change whilst you are receiving Maternity Allowance, you will need to report it as soon as possible.
Read more about reporting a change in circumstances on the GOV.UK website.
MOD ex-gratia payments in lieu of Maternity Allowance
MOD ex-gratia payments in lieu of Maternity Allowance – for pregnant spouses/civil partners who have accompanied their currently serving partner overseas.
As the accompanying spouse or civil partner of a service person posted overseas, you could be eligible to receive ex-gratia payments in lieu of Maternity Allowance, if you become pregnant.
The payments are made by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) as an alternative to the Maternity Allowance (MA) scheme offered to those in the UK by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The ex-gratia payments are equivalent to the MA that the pregnant person would have received in the UK.
Maternity Allowance is a payment you can get when you take time off to have a baby. You can receive MA for up to 39 weeks and can make a claim as soon as you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start any time between the 11th week before your baby is due and the day after the baby is born.
If you lose the baby you may still qualify for Maternity Allowance if the baby is stillborn from the start of the 24th week of pregnancy, or born alive at any point during the pregnancy.
Read more about Maternity Allowance on GOV.UK.
The eligibility criteria listed by the MOD are the same as MA if you had remained in the UK, but some exceptional circumstances are considered. An exceptional circumstance could be considered because:
- The civil partner/spouse has not worked long enough during the test period.
- The service person and their civil partner/spouse are posted to a country where diplomatic status must be given up, making it difficult for them to find work.
Your rights as a pregnant person in the workplace – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
As a pregnant person you have rights to protect you in the workplace. You cannot be discriminated against because of your pregnancy or maternity leave.
After you have informed your employer of your pregnancy, they must take into account your safety and the safety of your unborn child.
Paternity Leave and Pay – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
If your partner is having a baby, you are adopting a child or having a baby through a surrogacy arrangement, you may be eligible for Paternity Leave or pay.
1. Statutory Paternity Leave
You can choose to take one or two weeks leave, this can be taken con-secutively or separately . You will need to give your employer notice of when you will take your leave, and it must end within 52 weeks of the birth (or due date if the baby is early).
Find out more about Paternity Leave in:
2. Statutory Paternity Pay
If you are eligible for Paternity Pay you could receive:
- £184.03 a week, or
- 90% of your average weekly earnings.
You will receive whichever is lower.
Learn more about Parental Leave, Pay and your rights when on leave in:
If the baby dies you will still qualify for paternity leave and pay if the baby is either:
- stillborn from 24 weeks of pregnancy
- born alive at any point in the pregnancy but later dies
If you are adopting or using a surrogate the eligibility criteria is slightly different.
Read more about claiming Paternity Leave and pay as someone who is adopting or using a surrogate in:
Shared Parental Leave and Pay – England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
This scheme allows parents to share leave and pay between them in the first year after the child is born or placed with them.
You may be able to access Shared Parental Leave (SPL) or Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if you are:
- having a baby
- using a surrogate to have a baby
- adopting a child, or
- fostering a child who you are planning to adopt.
You may be able to share up to 50 weeks leave and 37 weeks pay between you depending on how much maternity or adoption leave and pay you or your partner can take.
SPL or ShPP can only start once the child has been born or placed with your family for adoption.
Eligibility
Eligibility
To get SPL and ShPP, you and your partner will need to:
- take less than the 52 weeks of maternity or adoption leave and use the rest as SPL.
- take less than the 39 weeks of maternity or adoption pay (or Maternity Allowance) and use the rest as ShPP.
The eligibility criteria are different for birth parents, adoptive parents and parents using a surrogate.
Read the eligibility criteria for:
Find out about eligibility criteria for all types of parents in Northern Ireland.
Childcare and nursery costs
You can use the Childcare Calculator on GOV.UK to find out how much you could get towards approved childcare. The support you can receive will depend on many factors, such as your income and living situation. You can get help with childcare costs for children under 18.
Only approved childcare is covered by government support, so you will need to determine what type of childcare you may need and if it will be covered. You will also need to search for a nursery place to ensure your child attends a nursery where this support is available.
Find out more about support paying for approved childcare in:
Adoption leave and pay
If you are working and adopt a child you're usually entitled to pay and time off work when they first join your family. This is called Statutory Adoption Pay and Leave.
If you're adopting or having a child through surrogacy, you may be entitled to 52 weeks’ leave from work if you're an employee.
If you’re adopting as a couple, only one person can get adoption leave. The other may be able to get paternity leave or shared parental leave.
Find out more about Adoption Leave and Pay from the Government guidance website, MoneyHelper.
Saving for your children
There are many different bank accounts, children’s pensions, and saving options you can use to give your child a head start.
Find out about the different types of savings on the Government guidance website, MoneyHelper.
Support from Armed Forces charities
Army Families Federation – for currently serving personnel and their families
The Army Families Federation hosts support for service families on a range of topics including:
- separation and divorce
- bereavement
- transition
- domestic abuse
- service complains/discipline
- adoption & fostering
- EU transitioning, and
- support for reservists.
Find out more on the Army Families Federation website.
Read about Education & Childcare support on the Army Families Federation website.
RAF Families Federation – for currently serving personnel and their families
The RAF Families Federation offers wellbeing support to families, children, and young people in the community.
The support includes council, funding, and grants.
Find out more about the support available from the RAF Families Federation.
Naval Families Federation – for currently serving personnel and their families
The Naval Families Federation hosts a variety of guidance programmes online to support service families.
Visit the Naval Families Federation to read more about:
Scotty’s Little Soldiers – for the children and young people of service personnel who have passed
The charity supports children and young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.
Scotty’s Little Soldiers delivers support and guidance through its family programmes:
Smiles – engaging activities which include group events to help bereaved forces children have some fun and remind them that they aren’t alone.
Support – providing bereaved military children and young people with support and guidance to look after their emotional health and wellbeing. The Support Team can help families organise counselling, provide immediate assistance in times of distress and provide information on a variety of support which they may be eligible for, including financial.
Strides – focuses on education and development for bereaved military children and young people. This includes opportunities to develop life skills and education grants.
Springboard – Education and career support for bereaved young people between the ages of 18 and 25 who have experienced the death of a parent who served in HM Armed Forces.
Get in touch
Visit the Scotty’s Little Soldiers’ website to use their online contact form or:
Telephone: 08000 928 571
Email: [email protected]
Forces Children Scotland
The charity helps children and young people in the Armed Forces community with a range of support including:
- education
- building confidence
- developing new skills
- mental health and wellbeing.
Find out more on the Forces Children Scotland website.
Get in touch
Visit the Forces Children Scotland website to use their online contact form or:
Telephone: 01313 227 350
Naval Children's Charity – Currently serving and ex-service
The Naval Children's Charity offers support to the children and young people of naval families, serving and ex-service.
The charity can offer support with:
- living with a disability, illness, or learning difficulty
- mental health and wellbeing
- financial support and security
- education, and
- development opportunities.
Additionally, the charity has resources and guidance for children who are experiencing separation from a parent whilst on deployment, relationship breakdown, or bereavement.
Read and download the Naval Childrens Charity’s Navigating Grief booklet from their website.
Get in touch
Visit the Naval Children's Charity website to use their online contact form or:
Telephone: 02392 639 534
Email: [email protected]
Caseworkers are available from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
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