Payments not just for those out of work
As many people return to their jobs following the festive break,
those in part-time and full-time work have been reminded that
they can qualify for Scottish Government benefits.
People in work can receive many of the payments administered by
Social Security Scotland, including those designed to help
low-income families.
The Scottish Government also delivers Job Start Payment – a
one-off payment to help young people who haven’t been working
meet the costs of starting a new job.
In Scotland, around one in three people getting Universal Credit
are in work, and Universal Credit is a qualifying benefit for
several other payments.
Thousands of working people get Scottish Child Payment and the
other benefits which make up Social Security Scotland’s five
family payments.
These consist of three Best Start Grants – Pregnancy & Baby
Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment – and Best
Start Foods.
People with jobs can also qualify for Adult Disability Payment,
with qualification not based on employment or income, and one-off
payments including Winter Heating Payment and Funeral Support
Payment.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley Anne Somerville
said:
“In January there are lots of people starting new jobs or
returning to work for the first time in a while and I’d urge them
to check what benefits they may be eligible for.
“I’d particularly highlight the support available to young people
starting in work via Job Start Payment.
“This one-off payment can make a difference with the costs of
getting up and running in a new job and again we want to make
sure it reaches as many eligible people as possible.
“We are helping people across Scotland through the cost-of-living
crisis by committing £6.1 billion in social security benefits and
payments. That’s £1.1 billion more than the Block Grant
Adjustment received due to spend on comparable benefits by the UK
Government.”
Background
Job Start payment helps with the costs of
starting a new job such as paying for travel, work clothes or
childcare. Eligible people receive a one-off payment of £294.70
or £471.50 if they are a main carer of any children.
It is available to those between the age of 16 to 24 who are
already getting qualifying benefits and have been out of paid
work for six months prior to finding a job. Care leavers can
apply for a further year (up to the day before their
26th birthday) and only need to be out of work and
receiving a qualifying benefit on the day of the job offer, not
for the previous 6 months.
Social Security Scotland administers 14
benefits on behalf of the Scottish Government: Social Security Scotland -
Benefits
