Five years of Scottish Child Payment

This weekend marks five years of Scottish Child Payment.

 

Since its launch in 2021, we have supported more than 241,000 parents and carers, helping put over £1.3 billion into the pockets of low-income families.

 

The payment is only available in Scotland. We provide families with £27.15 a week, rising to £28.20 from April 2026, for every eligible child under 16. Our latest figures show more than 322,000 children are benefiting from the payment as of September 2025.  

 

On top of this, the Scottish Government is increasing the payment for children under one which will be introduced during 2027/28, estimated to benefit around 12,000 children and could be worth an extra £500 a year for each eligible child.

 

Scottish Child Payment, and our other family payments could be worth around £25,000 by a child’s 16th birthday — compared with less than £2,000 in England and Wales, where support ends at age four.

 

Scottish Child Payment is estimated to keep 40,000 children out of relative poverty in 2025-26, with the relative child poverty rate lower than without the payment in place. Clear evidence that the payment is central to the Scottish Government’s mission to eradicate child poverty.

 

To celebrate the anniversary, Cabinet Secretary of Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville visited Home-Start Edinburgh’s Family Hub at Tynecastle High School to hear from families about the difference Scottish Child Payment is making to their lives.

 

During the visit to Home-Start Edinburgh, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

 

“Scottish Child Payment has improved the lives of thousands of children and families across Scotland over the last five years. And our plans to raise the weekly payment to £40 for eligible children under one shows the Scottish Government’s level of ambition and determination to end child poverty in Scotland.

 

“This payment helps ease the pressure on family budgets and forms part of the best cost-of-living support package in the UK. It helps pay for essentials like food and clothing, things that people who are better off may take for granted but which children in these households might otherwise go without. I urge families to check if they are eligible.”

 

Eliza Waye, CEO of Home-Start Edinburgh, added:

 

“Early childhood experiences are foundational to lifelong wellbeing and support better outcomes across health, education, wellbeing and more. 

 

“The Scottish Child Payment plays a vital role in easing pressure on families and helps ensure children grow up in a more equitable environment. Despite this, being a parent is incredibly hard. At Home-Start, we support parents to overcome the challenges they face; helping them build confidence and connect to networks of support. The combination of financial and community support enables the investment in families and children to go further.”

 

To find out more about Scottish Child Payment, visit https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/scottish-child-payment-resources  Here, you can access our resources including posters and social media content