Advising low income families in Scotland eBulletin - August 2025

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Free school meals
• School clothing grant
• Best Start grant school age payment
• NEW Financial Help for Families: What You Need to Know
• Qualifying benefits for free school meals and school clothing grant by local authority

This issue is a back to school special, with a reminder of the financial help available in Scotland for families with children starting or going back to school in August 2025. 

Free school meals

The Scottish Government sets the basic criteria for free school lunches throughout Scotland:

• Primary 1-5: all pupils can get free school meals
• Primary 6-7: pupils in households getting Scottish child payment
• Pupils in households getting universal credit (UC) with net earnings no more than £850 in the assessment period immediately preceding the application is made
• Pupils in households getting income-related employment and support allowance, (most households have moved onto UC by now)
• Pupils in households getting asylum support
• Pupils who go to an additional support needs (‘special’) school run by their local council or Scottish Government funded, regardless of age and financial circumstances.

There is a trial extending free school meals to S1-S3 pupils in households in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in 60 secondary schools in 8 local authority areas (Aberdeen, Eilean Siar, Fife, Glasgow, Moray, North Ayrshire, Shetland and South Lanarkshire) from August 2025.

All local authorities have discretion to extend the criteria more widely, and to consider individual circumstances - examples given by the Scottish Government are families excluded from benefits due to immigration status or waiting for their first payment of UC.

See table at end of this ebulletin for summary of criteria for qualifying benefits in each local authority.

School Clothing grant

The Scottish Government sets a minimum amount throughout Scotland of £120 per child of primary school age and £150 per child of secondary school age. Almost half of local authorities provide a higher amount, ranging from £125 to £225. 

Local authorities may set their own qualifying criteria, which in all areas is at least the same as for free school meals on low-income grounds (universal credit with net monthly earned income no more than £850). However, in many areas it is significantly wider:

• 11 local authorities set a higher earnings limit on UC, which means more families can qualify for the school clothing grant.
• 14 local authorities have added council tax reduction as a separate qualifying benefit for the school clothing grant, which means some families earning too much on UC may still qualify if they get council tax reduction, which depends on council tax band, income and circumstances. Note that a council tax discount, (e.g. single adult, carer or disability-related) does not qualify as this is not means-tested.
• 12 local authorities have added housing benefit as a separate qualifying benefit for the school clothing grant, which means families in temporary homeless accommodation or specified supported accommodation such as refuges may qualify, as well as pension age claimants liable for rent. Note that the housing costs element of UC, which has replaced housing benefit for most working age claimants, is not a separate qualifying benefit in these areas except for one (Shetland). 

See table at end of this ebulletin for summary of criteria for qualifying benefits in each local authority.

Best Start grant: school age payment

The Best Start grant is administered by Social Security Scotland and is the same criteria in all areas. The Best Start grant school age payment is £319.80 can help with the costs of a child starting primary 1, although it is not necessary for the child to have started school. The current grant is available to families with children born from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2021, in families entitled to a qualifying benefit:

• any amount of universal credit (regardless of earnings)
• pension credit
• housing benefit
• income-related employment and support allowance

The person responsible for the child should apply by 28 February 2026, although the school age payment is payable automatically if already getting Scottish child payment for the child.

NEW Financial Help for Families: What You Need to Know

This handy new book from CPAG covers all the main social security benefits for families with children available throughout the UK, as well as different payments only available in Scotland. It also highlights other important financial support including child maintenance and help with school costs, such as free school meals.

Order your copy here 

Qualifying benefits for free school meals and school clothing grant by local authority