Scottish benefits most families are missing out on
Scottish families with children could be missing out on payments worth thousands of pounds — payments that simply do not exist for equivalent families in England and Wales. The reason is not complex. Scotland has built its own system of family support on top of the UK-wide benefits system, and many of the people who qualify have never heard of these payments.
The Scottish Child Payment alone, claimed from birth to a child's 16th birthday, is worth around £25,000 per child in total. Combined with the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, the full package could be worth considerably more. The equivalent support available in England and Wales amounts to less than £2,000.
A Scottish family claiming the full set of available payments for one child from birth to 16 could receive around £25,000 in total. In England and Wales, the equivalent support is less than £2,000. Most families who qualify are not claiming all of it.
Scottish Child Payment
Scottish Child Payment is a weekly payment for families on qualifying benefits with children under 16. It is currently the most generous child payment of its kind in the UK, and it applies to every qualifying child in the household, not just the first.
Who qualifies
You must be living in Scotland, receiving one of the qualifying benefits, and have a child under 16 living with you. The qualifying benefits are Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, and Employment and Support Allowance.
How much is it worth
The payment is £28.20 per child per week, paid every four weeks. For two children that is £56.40 per week. Over a 16-year childhood, that is around £23,500 per child. For a family with two children claiming from birth, the total is close to £47,000.
How to apply
Apply online at mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment. You will need your National Insurance number and the child's details. Applications can be backdated up to 13 weeks, so if you have only just found out about this payment, apply immediately.
Why people miss it
Many families who are entitled to qualifying benefits have never had Scottish Child Payment explained to them, particularly those who moved to Scotland from elsewhere in the UK.
Best Start Grant
Best Start Grant is three separate one-off payments made at key stages in a child's early life: during pregnancy or just after the birth, when the child reaches early learning age, and when they are about to start school. Each must be applied for separately within a set window.
Who qualifies
You must be living in Scotland, receiving a qualifying benefit, and be within the relevant age window for the child. The same qualifying benefits apply as for Scottish Child Payment.
How much is it worth
The Pregnancy and Baby Payment is £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for each subsequent child. The Early Learning Payment is £331.95 per child, available when the child is aged 2 to 3 years 6 months. The School Age Payment is £331.95 per child, available when they are starting primary school. Together these three payments total more than £1,460 for a first child.
How to apply
Apply at mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods. Each payment has its own application window. The pregnancy payment window opens at 25 weeks pregnant. Check the deadlines carefully for each stage, as missed windows cannot be reopened.
Why people miss it
Each payment requires a separate application within a limited time window. Miss the window and the payment is gone.
Each Best Start Grant payment has a strict application window. The Early Learning Payment window, for example, closes when the child turns 3 years 6 months. Set a reminder when your child is born.
Best Start Foods
Best Start Foods is a prepaid card for buying healthy food including milk, fruit, vegetables, and pulses. The card is loaded regularly and can be used in most major supermarkets. The amount on the card depends on whether you are pregnant or have a young child.
Who qualifies
You must be living in Scotland, receiving a qualifying benefit, and either be pregnant or have a child under 3. The qualifying benefits are the same as for Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grant.
How much is it worth
The card is loaded with £44.80 every four weeks during pregnancy and for children under 1. For children aged 1 to 3, it is £22.40 every four weeks. Over a full pregnancy and the first three years of a child's life, that is over £2,000 in food vouchers.
How to apply
Apply at mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods. You will receive a prepaid card in the post that can be used in most major supermarkets for the qualifying food items.
Why people miss it
Best Start Foods requires a separate application from Best Start Grant, and it is often not mentioned at the same time. Many families who have applied for Best Start Grant have not applied for Best Start Foods.
Applying is simpler than it sounds
All of these payments are applied for through mygov.scot. You can apply online or by phone. Social Security Scotland runs the service and their helpline is free: 0800 182 2222. They are helpful, the calls are not long, and they can tell you exactly what you are entitled to.
If you are pregnant, ask your midwife or health visitor about these payments. They can point you to the right forms and in some cases help you apply.
Applications for Scottish Child Payment can be backdated up to 13 weeks. If you have only just found out about it, it is worth applying immediately.
Check what you are owed in two minutes
Answer a few questions and see exactly which of these payments you may be able to claim.