Applications opened for Scottish Child Payment on Monday November 14 and the surge of demand resulted in the website crashing.
The amount issued has risen and those who are already are receiving the payment will see it backdated, so they aren't missing out as the cost of living crisis continues.
The website was back up and running by noon on Monday and a spokeswoman for Social Security Scotland said: “The introduction or expansion of services is never without risks. We had staff on hand to monitor issues and to fix these quickly. This will continue throughout this week as we expect to see continued levels of high demand.”
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According to the Daily Record, statistics released by Social Security Scotland suggested that the average processing times for new claims increased from 31 working days in March 2022 to 36 in June 2022. For those who made a new application on November 14, they are set to receive the first payment at the start of the new year - this includes any backdated amount so no one will miss out.
What is the Scottish Child Payment and how much do you get?
The Scottish Child Payment is in place to help towards to cost of support a family. The payment, now £25 per week, is paid for every child you look after who is under the age of 16.
The money is paid out every four weeks.
Scottish Child Payment is part of a wider package of five family payments including:
- Best Start Grant
- Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
- Best Start Grant School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
How to apply for Scottish Child Payment
If you're not getting Scottish Child Payment for any child you need to apply or re-apply and can do so on mygov.scot.
To add a child or children you’ll need:
- Your name, date of birth, address and National Insurance number
- The names and dates of birth of the children you want to add
To make a new application, you'll need the above information and:
- Your partner's details, if you have a partner, including their National Insurance number
- Your bank details, if you have an account
The form needs to be completed at once and there is not an option to save it and come back to it later. According to the Scottish Government, most people take around 10 to 20 minutes to complete the form, but it's okay if it takes you longer.
If you do not have a bank account, are managing someone else's affairs, or do not have a permanent address you can:
- Apply by post
- Call Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222
What age does Scottish Child Payment stop?
The eligibility for Scottish Child Payment has changed. This means that parents or carers with children up to the age 16, rather than six, can apply. Payments will stop when they turn 16. There will still be a payment of £25 for the week they turn 16 – it doesn’t matter what day of the week their birthday is.
Will it affect other benefits?
Scottish Child Payment does not affect any other UK or Scottish Government benefits that you, or any person in your household, currently get. Only one person can get Scottish Child Payment for a child. This means, if 2 people apply for the same child, Social Security Scotland have a process of deciding who gets the payment. This is called a double claim. The process depends on the benefits that you and the other person are getting.
Scottish Child Payment is part of a wider package of five family payments including:
- Best Start Grant
- Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment
- Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
- Best Start Grant School Age Payment
- Best Start Foods
Is Scottish Child Payment the same as Child Benefit
The Scottish Child Payment is different from Child Benefit. While they usually both stop when the child turns 16, Scottish Child Payment does not impact Child Benefit.
You normally qualify for Child Benefit if you’re responsible for a child under 16 (or under 20 if they stay in approved education or training ) and you live in the UK.
Who can apply?
Only one person can claim the payment for one child. The Scottish Child Payment does not affect any other UK or Scottish benefit that you, or any member of your household, claims.
You may be able to get Scottish Child Payment if all of the following apply:
- You live in Scotland
- You or your partner are getting certain benefits or payments
- You or your partner are the main person looking after a child who's under six years old
Benefits or payment you or your partner must get
You can apply whether you're in work or not, as long as you're getting one or more of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
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