Strengthening Social Security: research into the five family payments

Strengthening Social Security is a two-year research project that aims to reshape the way Scottish child payment, best start grants and best start foods are delivered to families within Scotland.

The project will identify the circumstances under which families are missing out on SCP and other Scottish national and local family payments, highlighting where the payments are creating financial uncertainty for families. The project also aims to deliver a set of co-produced policy solutions that will address this financial instability.

Scottish Child Payment: The Gaps - briefing

Scottish child payment was introduced by the Scottish government in 2021 and early evidence suggests it is reducing relative child poverty in Scotland. However, the eligibility rules for Scottish child payment means that it does not provide support for all families on low incomes. 

This briefing identifies gaps where families are missing out on Scottish child payment altogether or are unable to rely on it consistently, and makes recommendations about how to fix this.

Children's Benefits in Scotland: clearing up confusion to maximise take up - briefing

Families are missing out on benefits they are entitled to because of confusion about eligibility. This briefing raises the alarm about several myths and misunderstandings concerning Scottish child payment that advisers commonly hear from families.

What the project will deliver

We aim to make recommendations for reshaping SCP to ensure greater financial stability for those excluded by or on the margins of entitlement. Our outputs will include:

• Two briefings in the first year of the project - sharing the evidence we've collected and detailing the gaps in the systems that we've found. Read our first report: Scottish Child Payment: The Gaps
• A series of themed reports - making detailed policy recommendations and documenting the processes used to develop the policies.
• Findings from focus groups of people with lived experience and welfare rights and policy experts - developing and testing policy solutions.
• Series of roundtable discussions with key stakeholders and Scottish government officials and local authority representatives to explore proposed solutions and build consensus for change.  

Get in touch

The project team is currently interviewing welfare rights advisors about their experiences supporting families to access the five family payments. If you would like to take part in the research, or learn more about the project, please contact Matilda Bryce at [email protected] 

We'd also like to speak with parents and carers in Scotland who have experienced difficulties getting universal credit and Scottish child payment. Find out more: Tell us about your experience of Scottish child payment and other Scottish payments for families