The Scottish Government is encouraging families to apply for a grant worth £267.65 which could help with costs when a child is set to start primary school in August and ease the pressure of the rising cost of living. The Best Start Grant School Age Payment provides a one-off lump sum of £267.65 to families who get Tax Credits and certain benefits with children born between March 1, 2017 and February 28, 2018.
Social Security Scotland who administers the benefit said this is “money to help at a key stage in a child’s life and can be used for anything from a new pair of shoes to books or arts and crafts materials”. Parents who have deferred their child’s entry to school from August 2022 to August 2023, or those who are home schooling, should also apply this year. There is no cap on the number of children in a household who can get this payment.
School Age Payment applications can be made between now and February 28, 2023.
Best Start Grant School Age Payment is part of the package of five family payments.
The package includes:
- Scottish Child Payment
- Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Early Learning Payment
- School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
People can apply for all of these payments for all of the children they are responsible for in a single form on mygov.scot.
Who should apply
You may be able to get Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods if all of the following apply:
- You live in Scotland
- You or your partner are getting certain benefits or Tax Credits
- You or your partner are pregnant, or are the main person looking after a baby or child who's the right age for a payment
- Eligibility
If you're a parent over 18, you can apply whether you're in work or not, as long as you're getting one of these:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Working Tax Credit – this is Working Tax Credit with Child Tax Credit for Best Start Foods
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
You cannot get Best Start Grant or Best Start Foods if you only get Child Benefit.
You must still be getting one of the benefits or payments from this list to be able to get Best Start Grant or Best Start Foods.
If you're not getting any of these benefits or payments, but have applied for one, you can still apply for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
Parents and carers can get more information and apply at mygov.scot or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.
To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.
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