Highlighting help on National Single Parents Day

Thousands of single parents are being offered a helping hand on National Single Parents Day (21 March), thanks to a link-up between One Parent Families Scotland and Social Security Scotland.

While 25% of children in Scotland live in poverty, the figure is much higher, 40%, for children in single parent families. A quarter of all the families with dependent children are single parent households.

Working together as part of One Parent Families Scotland’s “Single Parent Community” Campaign, both organisations are working to highlight the support that is available to eligible parents and carers. including Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant.

Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and the Best Start Grant aim to give children the best start in life. They offer financial support to families, both in and out of work, who receive certain benefits and tax credits.

Best Start Grant consists of three payments designed to provide support at key stages in a child’s life: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment.

Scottish Child Payment, unique to Scotland, is payable to eligible families in receipt of Universal Credit or certain other qualifying reserved benefits, for children aged under-16. Unlike the UK Government there is no limit to the number of children a family can receive the payment for

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:  

“All parents know that bringing up children can be hard work – and doing so as a single parent household can be even more so. So I’m proud of the support that the Scottish Government offers single parent families.

“A report from the Fraser of Allander Institute, about health inequalities in Scotland, highlighted that single parents are much more likely to experience food insecurity than other household types. In stark terms food insecurity is when a person doesn’t have reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious, healthy food.

“That is why the support the Scottish Government provides is so crucial, especially for single parent families. Since it was introduced in August 2019, £65.6million has been paid in Best Start Foods to provide exactly the nutritious, healthy food children need.

“And over £1 billion worth of Scottish Child payments have been issued by 31 December 2024; putting money directly into the pockets of those families who need it most.”

Chief Executive of OPFS, Satwat Rehman said:

“For too many single parents, the challenge of making ends meet is a daily struggle. With 38% of children in single parent families living in poverty, financial support like Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grants can be life-changing. These payments put money directly into the hands of families who need it most, helping to ease the pressure of rising costs and ensuring children have the essentials they deserve.

“One Parent Families Scotland is proud to work alongside Social Security Scotland to make sure single parents know about and can access the support they are entitled to.”

Case Study

Sarah, a single mum of two, had been struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living. Every week, she worried about how she would stretch her budget to cover food, bills, and other essentials. When she reached out to One Parent Families Scotland Glasgow, she had no idea she was missing out on vital support.

During a benefit check with a One Parent Families Scotland adviser, Sarah discovered she was entitled to the Best Start Foods card—and even more incredibly, it had over £650 in unclaimed credit waiting for her.

"I was completely shocked! I had no idea that money was there. I kept thinking about all the times I had struggled to afford the basics and worried about how I’d manage. If I’d known about this sooner, it could have saved me so much stress. It’s a massive help and has given me some much-needed breathing space.

"This has made such a huge difference to my life. Instead of panicking at the checkout or having to put things back, I can actually do a proper food shop. I can buy the things my kids like and need without feeling guilty or stressed about every penny. It’s lifted such a weight off my shoulders."

Support from One Parent Families Scotland, has not only allowed Sarah to access the financial support she was entitled to but also to gain peace of mind knowing she has extra help when she needs it.

Background

The all-time total value of Best Start Grant and Best Start Food payments to 31 December 2024 was over £180 million. Of this, £44.7 million was for Pregnancy and Baby Payment, £35.9 million was for Early Learning Payment, £34.2 million was for School Age Payment, and £65.6 million was for Best Start Foods

Scottish Child Payment provides vital support for single parents who are eligible. It is unique to Scotland and provides financial support for families, helping with the costs of caring for a child. It is a weekly payment, currently worth £26.70, for every eligible child that a parent or carer looks after who's under 16 years of age. 

Best Start Foods is a payment to help parents and carers buy healthy foods like milk or fruit during pregnancy and when the child is under 3 years old. It is paid every 4 weeks. The payments are:

• £21.20 during pregnancy
• £42.40 for each child from birth until they’re one year old
• £21.20 for each child aged between one and 3 years old

Pregnancy and Baby Payment helps with the costs of having a baby. The payment is £754.65 for the first child. The first child is the oldest child under 16 and can include a stepchild, or any child that the person is responsible for through adoption, or kinship care. Normally, this changes to a payment of £377.35 for any subsequent child.

Early learning Payment is a one-off payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of early learning. It’s available when the child is between 2 years old and 3 years and 6 months old. The payment is available for multiple children, as long as each child is the right age when the application is submitted.

School Age Payment is worth £314.45 per child. The money can be spent on anything the child needs at this stage including; books, bags, clothes and equipment for school. School Age Payment is paid around the time a child is first old enough to start primary school. There is no requirement to take up a place at school.

Link to further information on: Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and Best Start Grant.

Link to Fraser of Allander Institute Health Inequalities Report: https://fraserofallander.org/publications/health-inequalities-in-scotland-trends-in-the-socio-economic-determinants-of-health-in-scotland/