Best Start Grants awarded without need for a separate
application
More than 43,000 payments have been paid automatically to help
parents and carers with the cost of living and starting school,
latest official figures show.
The introduction of automatic payments means that tens of
thousands of people getting Scottish Child Payment have been
awarded Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments
without the need to apply separately.
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.
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.
These include people who opted out of automatic payments and some
who get housing benefit.
On a visit to Ibrox Primary School and nursery in Glasgow,
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice said:
“The introduction of automatic payments means we are getting
money to families quickly in the crucial early years of their
child’s development, as these figures show.
“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."
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.”
Background:
Best Start Grant and Best
Start Foods: high level statistics to 30 September 2023
The Scottish Government committed to a record £6.3 billion for
benefits expenditure in its 2024-25 budget, announced in December
Scottish Budget 2024 to
2025: Deputy First Minister statement - gov.scot
(www.gov.scot)
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)
