School’s out for summer: families urged to cash-in on Scottish benefits
As children across Scotland leave the school gates to enjoy their summer holidays, we are asking families to check what financial support they are entitled to.
The costs of raising kids - like paying for clothes when it seems like they never stop growing, doing the weekly food shop or taking them to swimming lessons - can soon add up.
We know families can face increased costs over the school holidays when they might need to pay for more childcare and out of school activities than normal.
As the summer holidays get underway, we are asking people to help us spread the word about our five family payments across their networks and social media channels. We have posters, leaflets and social media posts available to download, or order, for free.
Some people might not think they are eligible for payments because they are working. People in work, whether part-time or full-time, can also receive many of the payments delivered by Social Security Scotland including those designed to help families on low incomes.
In Scotland, around one in three people getting Universal Credit are in work, and Universal Credit is one of the qualifying benefits for getting Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Foods and the three Best Start Grants.
Younger parents under 18 do not need to be getting a qualifying benefit to access our Best Start Foods or Best Start Grant. This is the same for people who are 18 or 19 and dependent on someone getting benefits for them.
Payments available for families include:
- Scottish Child Payment – over £100 every four weeks to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16
- Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment – one off payment of up to £754.65 after 24 weeks of pregnancy up until a baby turns 6 months
- Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment – one off payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of early learning when a child is between two and three years and six months
- Best Start Grant School Age Payment – one off payment of £314.45 to help with the costs of starting school when a child is first old enough to start primary one
- Best Start Foods – up to £42.40 every four weeks from pregnancy up to when a child turns three to help buy healthy food.
Parents, carers and guardians can get more information at mygov.scot/fivefamilypayments or by calling us free on 0800 182 2222.
Extra help to pay for school clothes is also available through local councils. Parents and carers can usually apply for a ‘school clothing grant’ from July. Find out more at Help with school clothing costs.