People are being urged to apply for Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments in Scotland.

The  Scottish Child Payment is unique to Scotland. It automatically includes the Best Start awards and has made 43,000 payments. Some parents and carers don’t get Scottish Child Payment but could still qualify for the two grants and they have been urged to apply.

For each of the two benefits, people are awarded one-off payments of £294.70 per child to help with costs like clothes, toys and school trips.

In Orkney 945 families have benefitted with payments totalling £231,547. Paid out as follows:

• Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Payment: £66,390
• Best Start Early Learning Payment: £52, 458
• Best Start School Age Payment: £49,865
• Best Start Food Payment: £62,834

Satwat Rehman, the chief executive of charity One Parent Families Scotland said:

“Many of the single parents we support have limited access to digital devices so automation ensures that children in need will not lose out.

“Due to the inadequate levels of Westminster’s benefits these payments help at some of the most important stages of a young child’s development to give them the best start in life.”

People who do not get automatic awards can check eligibility and apply online at mygov.scot/benefits or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.

In the 2023/24 financial year to September 2023, £21.5 million has been paid to Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods clients. Of this, £4.9 million was for Pregnancy and Baby Payment, £3.9 million was for Early Learning Payment, £6.7 million was for School Age Payment, and £6 million was for Best Start Foods . Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods: high level statistics to 30 September 2023

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the Scottish Government Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“The majority of eligible people get these payments automatically, but we are urging those who don’t to check if they are eligible and get the support they are entitled to.

“The UK Government makes no equivalent provision to either the Early Learning or School Age Payments and removing the need for separate applications has made things even simpler for people who need this support most.

“While the UK Government chose to continue with welfare cuts in the middle of a cost of living crisis, the Scottish Government has allocated £3 billion each year to protect people as far as possible.

“In 2024-25 we are committing a record £6.3 billion for benefits expenditure, providing support to over 1.2 million people.

“This is £1.1 billion more than the UK Government gives to the Scottish Government for social security, demonstrating our commitment to tackling poverty.”

School Age Payment is a £294.70 grant per child to help with the costs of preparing for school when a child is first old enough to start primary school. Early Learning Payment is the same amount to help with the costs of pre-school. Best Start Grant – Social security – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The Best Start Grant consists of three different benefit payments: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning
Payment, and School Age Payment.

Best Start Foods is a recurring four weekly pre-paid card payment, which replaced Healthy Start Vouchers for new claims in Scotland from 12 August.