More than 38,000 payments have been made to families in Scotland
to help with the costs of early learning and starting school.
Families who qualify for Scottish Child Payment are now
automatically awarded Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and
School Age Payment when their child becomes eligible, without
them having to apply separately.
Figures showed that since Social Security Scotland introduced
automation of the payments in November last year, 14,825 Early
Learning Payments and 23,810 School Age Payments have been made,
up to the end of June 2023.
Early Learning and School Age Payments are one-off payments of
£294.70 to help eligible families as their child grows up, with
things like clothes, travel, stationery or toys for home
learning.
Social Security Scotland began making these payments
automatically to eligible families who already get Scottish Child
Payment, which is £25 per child per week, when it was extended to
under 16 year olds.
1.7 million Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods payments have
been made with more than £130 million paid to clients since the
benefits launched in 2018.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice said:
“Social Security Scotland’s five family payments, which includes
Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments, are part
of a package of measurements taken by the Scottish Government
which will help lift 90,000 children out of poverty in Scotland
this year.
“Tackling child poverty is central to the work of the Scottish
Government and part of that work is making processes as
straightforward as they can be for eligible people. The
introduction of automatic payments for some of our benefits is a
crucial part of that.
“This change has meant less paperwork for tens of thousands of
families and has made sure that families across Scotland quickly
and automatically get the financial support they are entitled to,
to help support the development of their child when they are
young.
“A very small number of people are eligible for Early Learning
and School Age Payment but not Scottish Child Payment and I
encourage them to check if they are eligible and continue to
apply.”
Background
Best Start Grant and Best Start
Foods: high level statistics to 30 June 2023
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and
School Age Payment are part of a wider package of five
family payments including: Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby
Payment, Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods.
Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments are paid
automatically to parents and carers who already receive Scottish
Child Payment when their children become eligible. Automated
payments were first made in November last year after Scottish
Child Payment was extended to include all eligible people under
the age of 16 and increased to £25 per child per week.
A small number of people are eligible for Early Learning Payment
and School Age Payment but not Scottish Child Payment. The can
apply at mygov.scot/benefits or
by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222
