Public Services are essential in our communities – they provide support where needed and when needed – for everyone.

In the period  2023-24 The Scottish Government spent money as follows:

£5.2 billion on social security benefits.

 – £429 million went  on the Scottish Child Payment ,only available in Scotland. This is a weekly payment of £26.70 that you can get for every child you look after who’s under 16 years of age. You’ll get the payment every 4 weeks if your application is successful. (No Two Child Benefit Cap here). It’s up to you what you choose to spend the money on.

Scottish Child Payment is one of the 5 family payments you may be able to get from Social Security Scotland, along with Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.

-funding was also used to introduce Carer Support Payment in pilot areas, ahead of full roll-out in 2024, and to widen eligibility for Best Start Foods. (Not available in England and Wales).

Best Start Foods is a payment that can help you buy healthy foods like milk or fruit during pregnancy and when your child is under 3 and is paid every 4 weeks. £21.20 during pregnancy (you’ll get the same amount whether you’re having one or more babies); £42.40 for each child from birth until they’re one year old; £21.20 for each child aged between one and 3 years old. f your baby’s born early, you’ll get the higher amount from birth until 1 year after the due date.

£19 billion was spent in health and social care

This was invested in supporting recovery and reform to secure sustainable public services, while delivering a pay uplift for NHS staff. The Scottish Government agreed to an average uplift of at least 6.5% for all staff up to and inclusive of Band 8a. All staff also received a one-off pro rata payment of between £387 and £939 depending on banding.

Band	Pay point	2022/23	2023/24 offer	% increase to 2022/23 salary	Consolidated increase over 2 years (£)	Consolidated increase over 2 years (%)	One-off payment
1	1	£21,692	£23,240	7.14%	£3,753	19.26%	£387
2	1	£21,814	£23,362	7.10%	£3,753	19.14%	£387
2	2	£23,820	£25,368	6.50%	£3,753	17.37%	£387
3	1	£23,914	£25,468	6.50%	£3,759	17.32%	£389
3	2	£25,808	£27,486	6.50%	£3,883	16.45%	£420
4	1	£25,914	£27,598	6.50%	£3,889	16.40%	£421
4	2	£28,187	£30,019	6.50%	£4,037	15.54%	£458
5	1	£28,384	£30,229	6.50%	£4,125	15.80%	£461
5	2	£30,329	£32,300	6.50%	£4,251	15.16%	£493
5	3	£35,365	£37,664	6.50%	£4,749	14.43%	£575
6	1	£35,522	£37,831	6.50%	£4,759	14.39%	£577
6	2	£37,087	£39,498	6.50%	£4,861	14.03%	£603
6	3	£43,286	£46,100	6.50%	£5,364	13.17%	£703
7	1	£43,422	£46,244	6.50%	£5,372	13.14%	£706
7	2	£45,080	£48,010	6.50%	£5,480	12.89%	£733
7	3	£50,506	£53,789	6.50%	£5,943	12.42%	£821
8a	1	£53,513	£56,992	6.50%	£6,027	11.83%	£870
8a	2	£57,767	£61,522	6.50%	£6,506	11.83%	£939
8b	1	£63,530	£67,285	5.91%	£5,960	9.72%	£939
8b	2	£68,223	£71,978	5.50%	£5,960	9.03%	£939
8c	1	£75,711	£79,466	4.96%	£5,960	8.11%	£939
8c	2	£81,426	£85,181	4.61%	£5,960	7.52%	£939
8d	1	£90,590	£94,345	4.15%	£5,960	6.74%	£939
8d	2	£94,629	£98,384	3.97%	£5,960	6.45%	£939
9	1	£107,840	£111,595	3.48%	£5,960	5.64%	£939
9	2	£112,673	£116,428	3.33%	£5,960	5.40%	£939

Heat in Buildings

£220 million went to fund the Heat in Buildings Programme to help deliver greener and more energy efficient homes

Just Transition Fund

£16.8 million was paid out for projects in the North-east and Moray regions

 £3 million was paid out as part of Scotland’s international obligations to help vulnerable global communities address loss and damage brought on by climate change

Bus and Concessionary Travel

Bus Services and Concessionary Fares were funded to the tune of  £422 million.

2.3million people in Scotland now have access to travel freely by bus should they choose to do so – and many do.  Eligible islands residents can access free ferry vouchers too.

If you live in Scotland and are 5-21 years old you are eligible for a card giving you free bus travel. You must be resident in Scotland for the majority of the year (at least six months). Children under 5 years old already travel for free on buses and don’t need a card.

Asylum seekers and refugees aged between 5 and 21 can access the scheme. 

Those over 60 or have a disability, could be eligible for free bus travel to get around Scotland and their local area. You can access this via the National Entitlement Card, your pass to free bus travel in Scotland. The National Entitlement Card scheme also allows for free travel for companions where required by eligible disabled people of any age (including children under 5). Cardholders living in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles receive two free return ferry journeys each year to the Scottish mainland.

The figures collected on the use of travel passes show how popular this scheme is with the public:

The number of smart journeys made by bus through the different NCTS and the totals

Scheme	May 2024	1 April 2024 – 31 May 2024
Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	6,716,734	12,738,660
Older & Disabled Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	9,269,575	17,958,591
Total	15,986,309	30,697,251

The number of valid National Entitlement Cardholders who can access the different NCTS and the total

Scheme	As at 1 June 2024
Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	741,517
Older & Disabled Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme	1,553,732
Total	2,295,249

Fiona Grahame