“We are making a choice to increase direct support for people who need it the most and that is more important than ever during the current cost of living crisis.”
In Scotland there are several benefit payments which are not available anywhere else in the UK. Social Security Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government and it administers these payments. The UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) continues to administer the main payments like Universal Credit and the State Pension. Local Councils also deliver some benefits.
The payments managed by Social Security Scotland are increasing by 6.7%.
Devolved Social Security Assistance Rates in Scotland 2024-2025 (weekly payments except where stated)
| Benefit | Rates 2023-24 | Rates 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance Allowance | ||
| Higher Rate | £101.75 | £108.55 |
| Lower Rate | £68.10 | £72.65 |
| Carer’s Allowance | ||
| Carer’s Allowance | £76.75 | £81.90 |
| Carer’s Allowance Supplement (bi-annual payment) | £270.50 | £288.60 |
| Carer’s Allowance Earnings Threshold | £139.00 | £151.00 |
| Disability Living Allowance | ||
| Care Component Highest Rate | £101.75 | £108.55 |
| Care Component Middle Rate | £68.10 | £72.65 |
| Care Component Lowest Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Mobility Component Higher Rate | £71.00 | £75.75 |
| Mobility Component Lower Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit | ||
| Standard Rate 1.0 | £207.60 | £221.50 |
| 0.9 | £186.84 | £199.35 |
| 0.8 | £166.08 | £177.20 |
| 0.7 | £145.32 | £155.05 |
| 0.6 | £124.56 | £132.90 |
| 0.5 | £103.80 | £110.75 |
| 0.4 | £83.04 | £88.60 |
| 0.3 | £62.28 | £66.45 |
| 0.2 | £41.52 | £44.30 |
| Constant Attendance Allowance | ||
| Exceptional rate | £166.20 | £177.40 |
| Intermediate rate | £124.65 | £133.05 |
| Normal maximum rate | £83.10 | £88.70 |
| Part-time rate | £41.55 | £44.35 |
| Exceptionally severe disablement allowance | £83.10 | £88.70 |
| Maximum of aggregate weekly benefit payable for successive accidents | £207.60 | £221.50 |
| Industrial Injuries Unemployability Supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount) | £8,684.00 | £9,542.00 |
| Maximum life gratuity | £13,780.00 | £14,700.00 |
| Unemployability Supplement | £128.40 | £137.00 |
| Increase for early incapacity | ||
| Higher rate | £26.60 | £28.40 |
| Middle rate | £17.10 | £18.20 |
| Lower rate | £8.55 | £9.10 |
| Increase under para 4 of schedule 7 SSCBA 1992 to weekly disablement pension (increase for dependent children) | £11.35 | £11.35 |
| Maximum reduced earning allowance | £83.04 | £88.60 |
| Maximum retirement allowance | £20.76 | £22.15 |
| Industrial Death Benefit | ||
| Widow’s Higher Rate | £156.20 | £169.50 |
| Lower Rate | £46.86 | £50.85 |
| Widower’s Rate | £156.20 | £169.50 |
| Weekly rate of allowance in respect of children under paragraph 18 of Schedule 7 | £11.35 | £11.35 |
| Personal Independence Payment | ||
| Daily Living Component Enhanced Rate | £101.75 | £108.55 |
| Daily Living Component Standard Rate | £68.10 | £72.65 |
| Mobility Component Enhanced Rate | £71.00 | £75.75 |
| Mobility Component Standard Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Severe Disablement Allowance | ||
| Basic Rate | £92.20 | £98.40 |
| Age related addition Higher Rate | £13.80 | £14.70 |
| Middle Rate | £7.65 | £8.15 |
| Lower Rate | £7.65 | £8.15 |
| Adult Dependency Increase payable with SDA | £45.35 | £48.40 |
| Benefit | Rates 2023-24 | Rates 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Best Start Grant (BSG) | ||
| BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment (1st Child Payment unless a relevant exemption applies) | £707.25 | £754.65 |
| BSG Pregnancy and Baby Payment (Subsequent Child Payment & Extra Payment for Twins/Triplets) | £353.65 | £377.35 |
| BSG Early Learning Payment | £294.70 | £314.45 |
| BSG School Age Payment | £294.70 | £314.45 |
| Child Winter Heating Payment | ||
| Child Winter Heating Payment (annually) | £235.70 | £251.50 |
| Winter Heating Payment | ||
| Winter Heating Payment (annually) | £55.05 | £58.75 |
| Funeral Support Payment | ||
| standard rate for other expenses element | £1,178.75 | £1,257.75 |
| other expenses element where there is a funeral plan | £143.85 | £153.50 |
| removal of implanted medical devices | £23.75 | £25.35 |
| Job Start Payment | ||
| Job Start Payment (one-off) standard rate | £294.70 | £314.45 |
| higher rate | £471.50 | £503.10 |
| Young Carer Grant | ||
| Young Carer Grant (annually) | £359.65 | £383.75 |
| Benefit | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| Child Disability Payment | ||
| Care Component Highest Rate | £101.75 | £108.55 |
| Care Component Middle Rate | £68.10 | £72.65 |
| Care Component Lowest Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Mobility Component Higher Rate | £71.00 | £75.75 |
| Mobility Component Lower Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Adult Disability Payment | ||
| Daily Living Component Enhanced Rate | £101.75 | £108.55 |
| Daily Living Component Standard Rate | £68.10 | £72.65 |
| Mobility Component Enhanced Rate | £71.00 | £75.75 |
| Mobility Component Standard Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Transitional Rate | £26.90 | £28.70 |
| Scottish Child Payment | £25.00 | £26.70 |
| Carer Support Payment | £76.75 | £81.90 |
| Best Start Foods (BSF) | ||
| Best Start Foods: double the basic rate | £9.90 | £10.60 |
| Best Start Foods: basic rate | £4.95 | £5.30 |
| Best Start Foods | Rates 2023-24 | Rates 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|
| During pregnancy and between the ages of 1 and 3 | £4.95 | £5.30 |
| From birth until 1 year old | £9.90 | £10.60 |
The cost of uprating benefits in 2024-25 is £370 million. The Scottish Child Payment, £26.70 per child weekly payment, is supporting the families of more than 327,000 children. The highest rate of Adult Disability Payment is now £184.30 per week.
Carer Support Payment, is now £81.90 every four weeks. The benefit for unpaid carers launched in three local authorities last year and will be available across Scotland by Autumn 2024.
Commenting on the payments Social Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government Shirley-Anne Somerville said:
“Our investment in social security helps low‑income families with their living costs, enables disabled people to live full and independent lives, and supports older people to heat their homes in winter.
“This financial year we are committing a record £6.3 billion for benefits expenditure – which is £1.1 billion more than the UK Government gives to the Scottish Government for social security.
Click on this link for more information on money to support with disability, illness, children, caring, heating, housing, funerals, jobs, cost of living, emergencies and more : Benefits
Social Security Scotland delivers the following benefits:
- Scottish Child Payment
- Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
- Best Start Grant School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
- Adult Disability Payment
- Child Disability Payment
- Child Winter Heating Payment
- Carer’s Allowance Supplement
- Carer Support Payment (currently available in Dundee, Perth & Kinross, and Western Isles)
- Young Carer Grant
- Child Winter Heating Payment
- Winter Heating Payment
- Funeral Support Payment
- Job Start Payment
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