Overview of Scottish Child Payment
Scottish Child Payment is a payment to help low-income families with children under 16.
For each child under 16 they’ll get £28.20 a week. We’ll pay this every four weeks, so the client will receive £112.80 every four weeks for each child that’s eligible.
There is no limit on the number of children in a family who can get the payment.
Eligibility for Scottish Child Payment began on 15 February 2021. It was extended to under 16s on 14 November 2022.
We’ll review the payment on a yearly basis, so it could increase.
The person responsible for the child or their partner can apply for the payment. This includes kinship carers.
The person applying for Scottish Child Payment must receive a qualifying benefit.
Who can get Scottish Child Payment
To get Scottish Child Payment the client must live in Scotland.
Either the client or their partner must be responsible for a child, they might be the child’s kinship carer.
To be eligible for Scottish Child Payment the client or their partner must also get one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Job Seeker's Allowance (income based)
- Employment Support Allowance (income related)
A client can apply for Scottish Child Payment before the Department for Work and Pensions approves their application for a qualifying benefit. We must wait until they award the qualifying benefit before we can process their application.
The client must be awarded the qualifying benefit within 14 days of the Scottish Child Payment application being made.
How they can apply for Scottish Child Payment
Clients can apply for Scottish Child Payment:
- on the phone
- online
- by paper application form
- through local delivery
Online applications
Clients can apply online on the mygov.scot website.
They’ll need to complete the form all at once as there is no save and resume function.
A client will not be able to apply online if they:
- do not have a bank account and need to be paid another way
- are applying for someone else, for example, an appointee or legal acting body
Paper applications
Clients can download the paper application form or they can call free on 0800 182 2222 to request one.
They can also call us to ask for the form in different formats and languages.
Phone applications
Clients can apply by calling the agency free on 0800 182 222.
When dealing with a phone application the client must know:
- the details they’ll need to give us
- that they can call back when they’re ready to make the application