Several payments delivered in Scotland to people requiring financial support are to be increased by the Scottish Government from 1st April.

The benefits which will be increased by 6% include:

• Job Start Payment
• Young Carer’s Grant
• Funeral Support
• Best Start Grant
• Carer’s Allowance Supplement
• Child Winter Heating Assistance

The  Scottish Child Payment will double from £10 per week to £20 from 1 April, a 100% increase. Supporting Orkney’s Families With The Scottish Child Payment

Best Start Foods rose from £4.25 to £4.50 a week in August (5.88%).

Benefits administered by the UK through the DWP Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment will still increase by 3.1% in line with the equivalent benefits (Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment) 

The Scottish Government state that this ” is to avoid creating a two-tier system where individuals paid by Social Security Scotland are paid more than clients whose cases have not yet transferred to the Scottish system.”

Scots are facing a cost of living crisis with rising household costs – increases in food and heating – fuel at the pumps going up and wages not keeping up with the surge in prices. The combination of Brexit fall out, the Covid pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the austerity measures put in place by consecutive UK Governments has hit Scottish families hard. Rises in Covid cases around the world is also affecting the supply chain as container ports in China try to limit onward transmission of the virus.

Social Security Minister in the Scottish Government Ben Macpherson said:

“We are acting urgently in response to growing pressures on the costs of living, which were already rising and have now increased significantly again due to the illegal war in Ukraine.

“We will provide additional support as quickly as possible by further increasing several forms of devolved social security benefits and assistance – enhancing our planned 3.1% uprating to a 6% rise – and this will be implemented in just over two weeks’ time.

“The Scottish Government is determined to use the powers we have to move at pace to help those who need assistance most in these challenging times. The benefits we are uprating will support those on low incomes, particularly families and unpaid carers.”