Payments for children and young people
Overview of the support available for children in Scotland.
Best Start grant is divided into three separate one-off payments. These are:
Pregnancy and baby payment replaced the Sure Start maternity grant in Scotland. The grant helps with maternity costs if you have a low income or if you are pregnant or have a child when you are under 18 (or sometimes under 20).
Early learning payment and school age payment help with costs as your child grows up.
Sometimes you can get a Best Start grant if you are looking after someone else’s child, for example as a kinship carer.
A Best Start foods pre-paid payment card, worth at least £5.30 a week for families with a child under three has replaced the Healthy Start scheme in Scotland.
A job start payment of either £314.45 or £503.10 is available to help some young people with the costs of starting a new job.
Scottish child payment of £26.70 a week is available for children aged under 16 in lower income families.
Families living in Scotland with a severely disabled child are eligible for child winter heating payment of £251.50.
Young people caring for someone with a disability can claim a young carer grant of £383.75.
Child disability payment has replaced disability living allowance for children in Scotland.