In Great Britain some categories of people are entitled to financial help. The benefit paid to retired people is the state pension or retirement pension, to which women are entitled to at the age of 60 and men at 65. Anyone below the retirement age of 65 who has previously worked for a certain minimum period of time receive unemployment benefit. Women who leave work to have a baby receive maternity pay from their employer. Women who do not qualify for this, for example, the self- employed, receive a maternity allowance from the government. A women whose husband dies before retires, receives a widow's pension if she is aged 45 or over. If she has children, she receives a widowed mother's pension. Some people are entitled to neither pension nor unemployment benefit. These people can apply for income support. Child benefit is a small weekly payment for each child, usually paid directly to mothers. Family credit is for working families on modest incomes. Income support is for those without work and with low financial resources. There is also mobility allowance available to the disabled to pay for transport or to buy a special vehicle. Invalidity pension is paid to a person who is unable to work after a sickness period.
