Tag: Best Start Grant

Deadline looms for School Age Payment

Families urged to make sure they don’t miss out

Parents and guardians who get qualifying benefits or tax credits and who have a child born between 1 March 2017 and 28 February 2018 are being urged to check whether they should apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment as this year’s deadline approaches. 

Applications for the one-off payment of £267.65 per child, which can be used for books, bags, clothes and equipment for school, have to be submitted by midnight on the 28 February closing date. 

The Scottish Government introduced automatic payments for Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment in November 2022. Parents and guardians who get Scottish Child Payment will get School Age Payment automatically when their child reaches eligibility and within the School Age Payment window of 1 June to 28 February.

There are some people who don’t qualify for Scottish Child Payment that could be eligible for School Age Payment, including those who get housing benefit.

There may be others who choose not to apply for Scottish Child Payment who can still apply for School Age Payment. There are also parents and guardians who opted out of automatic payments so they could have more control around when they receive this money. All of these people are being urged to check if they could be due School Age Payment and to apply if they do.  

Statistics last week revealed that more than £105.8 million has been paid by Social Security Scotland in the Best Start group of payments – which also includes Pregnancy and Baby Payment and Early Learning Payment. 

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “If you have a child in the family aged five, or who turns five this month, then you could be eligible for School Age Payment. 

“We are making it easier than ever to apply but we still ask people to check and make sure they know what they are entitled to.

“The Best Start Grant payments, which include School Age Payment, were the first three of our five family payments to be introduced.

“To date we’ve provided more than £100 million across these three payments.

“Making these payments automatic, where we have the information to do so, will enable us to get this money to families at key stages in their child’s development and when they may face additional costs.”

Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payment to be made automatically

Improvements make it easier for families to get money they are entitled to

People who receive Scottish Child Payment and qualify for Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age payments will be paid them automatically from this week, without the need to apply for them separately. 

Social Security Scotland will notify clients by SMS when they are checking eligibility for the Best Start Grants and, if they are eligible, will write to advise them of the payment.

The move to automatic awards will mean less paperwork for tens of thousands of families and ensure that families automatically receive the support to which they’re entitled.

It builds on work already completed to make applying for our five family payments as simple as possible.

It includes the ability to apply for all children in a household on a single form.

Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “Our extension to the Scottish Child Payment and its increase to £25 per child per week has been widely welcomed and will make a significant difference to families across the country. The increase represents a rise of 150% in just eight months.

“The increase and extension was described as a watershed moment in tackling child poverty by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and already people have applied in their tens of thousands.

“Tackling child poverty is a key mission for the Scottish Government and automating payments, where we have the information we need to do so, will mean parents and carers automatically getting the financial support they are eligible for paid directly to them.

“We are committed to making sure that receiving our five family payments is as straightforward as possible, using our limited social security powers and resources to help”.

CEO of One Parent Families Scotland, Satwat Rehman said “We are delighted that Social Security Scotland have made changes so that parents who have applied for and receive Scottish Child Payment will no longer have to fill out separate forms to receive other family benefits.

“Many of the single parents we support are not aware of the financial support available to them and would therefore be at risk of losing out. We hope the change to automatic payments will lead to an increase in the number of families accessing benefits they are entitled to and will ease the financial and mental strain of the cost-of-living crisis.”

Ben Macpherson encourages take- up of School Age Payment

Well done to all the children who took the big step of starting P1 this week!

Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson is encouraging families with children born between 1 Mar 2016 and 28 Feb 2017 to apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment if they get tax credits or certain benefits.

The one-off payment of £252.50, administered by Social Security Scotland, is made to families when a child is old enough to start primary school. The payment can be used to buy everyday supplies like a new pair of shoes, books and school bags.

More than £10 million has been paid in Best Start Grant School Age Payments to families across Scotland since the benefit launched in June 2019.

Applications are currently open for children born between 1 March 2016 and 28 February 2017. Parents or carers have until 28 February 2022 to apply.

Best Start Grant School Age Payment is part of the package of five family payments administered by Social Security Scotland. The package includes Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods and is available to families receiving tax credits or certain benefits.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “As children enter education for the first time, it is vital that the youngest people in our society get what they need to thrive. Whether it be a new pair of shoes or books or paints for an art project, the Scottish Government is committed to providing extra help to give every child the best start in life.

“We know that covering the costs of starting school can be difficult. So, I am urging families who may be eligible to get in touch with Social Security Scotland to find out more.

“Even if you are deferring your child’s start date until next year or home schooling, please remember to apply before the closing date. We are keen to ensure parents and carers receive all the financial support they can apply for, such as a school clothing grant and free school meals.

“The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people are supported and encouraged to access all of the benefits they are entitled to, and will invest in new partnerships between schools and advice services to help expand these vital links for families.

“I am proud that we are already delivering a social security system that is there for people when and where they need it, that is fair and straightforward to access, and that encourages and supports people to get the financial support they are entitled to.”

Glasgow-mum-of-three Becky Taylor successfully applied online for the payment ahead of her daughter Bella (aged 4) starting P1 at St Roch’s Primary School in Royston this week.

Becky said: “It can be hard at this time of year but the Best Start Grant School Age Payment covered everything we would need for Bella. I was able to buy her uniform, school bag and shoes as well as things like tights and socks.

“I was able to do the whole process online and it was easy. People should look into seeing if it is something they are entitled to and apply.”

Find out more by calling Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 or visit mygov.scot/beststart.

Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods pay £53.8m since launch

Official statistics have been published for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods for the period from December 2018 to 28 February 2021.

More than 162,800 Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods applications have been approved, with a total of £53.8 million paid to clients since launch.

Three cash payments make up Best Start Grant. These are Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, and School Age Payment.

Best Start Foods is a prepaid card that can be used in shops and online to buy healthy foods for pregnant mothers and children under three-years-old.

Since launch, more than £17.1 million of payments have been awarded for Pregnancy and Baby Payment, £13 million for Early Learning Payment, £10.1 million for School Age Payment and £13.6 million paid through Best Start Foods.

Authorised applications for December 2020, January 2021 and February 2021 for all payments stand at 4,755, 4,545 and 5,480 respectively.

Social Security Scotland began taking applications for Scottish Child Payment in November 2020. As part of the application process, individuals can choose to make a joint application for Scottish Child Payment, Best Start Grant, and Best Start Foods.

Details on how to apply for Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods are available at MyGov.scot.

Best Start Grant deadline looms

Eligible families across Scotland are being encouraged to apply for the Best Start Grant School Age Payment before applications close on 28 February.
 
The one-off £250 payment can be used to buy anything from a warm coat to books and toys.  Applications are open to families that have a child that was born between 1 March 2015 and 29 February 2016.
 
Parents who have deferred their child’s entry to school from August 2020 to August 2021, or those who are home schooling, may still be eligible for this payment and should still apply before the closing date.
 
The payment is part of the Best Start Grant, a package of three payments to support families who get tax credits or certain benefits – including Universal Credit, Income Support and Housing Benefit.

More information on the Social Security Scotland website

Report shows positive impact of Best Start Grant payments

Scotland’s least well-off families have seen a marked increase in their income from three Scottish Government benefits, according to an evaluation report published yesterday.

The evaluation of the three Best Start Grant payments shows that families on the lowest incomes were able to buy essential items for their children as a result of these new benefits. 

Best Start Grant is available to families on low incomes as their children reach certain key stages. They are able to access this whether in or out of work as long as they get one of eight qualifying benefits or tax credits available through the Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC.

People receiving the payments said that the money helped them stop getting into debt or having to cut down on other essential household spending, such food and bills. People were able to use the money to help buy essential items for their children like cots and prams, as well as to arrange days out for their family or to buy books and clothing.

The most common qualifying benefit among recipients was Child Tax Credit (57,055), followed by Universal Credit (44,810), Working Tax Credit (23,560), and Income Support (18,030). Other qualifying benefits include Housing Benefit, Jobseeker’s allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Pension Credit.

Parents and carers in and out of work who get benefits or tax credits are being encouraged to check if they are eligible and apply. 

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Our full Best Start Grant package has been in place since June 2019. I’m delighted that just a year and a half later that we are already getting feedback that this money is making a real difference to people’s lives.

“We continue to work hard to make sure that everyone accesses the support they are entitled to. I often hear families say that they don’t think that they can access this support because they are working. I’m glad to see so many families who are in work and on low incomes getting this extra boost. And I know that more families than ever are accessing benefits and this is important additional help for you too. 

“I would urge anyone who gets a benefit or tax credits to check if you are eligible for these payments and to apply. And those eligible for Best Start Grant are now able to apply for the £10 per week Scottish Child Payment that will start in February 2021. Parents and carers can make sure they are getting everything they are entitled to by talking to the Money Talk team. This service and the Best Start Grant payments are there to help families maximise their income and to support efforts to tackle child poverty.”

Paula, from Forfar who received the Best Start Grant Early Years Payment for her daughter, Arwen 3 said: “I work 12 hours a week as a treasurer for our local church but because I also receive Universal Credit due to being on my own with two children, I qualified for the Best Start Grant Early Years Payment.

“It was easy and straightforward to apply online and money was paid direct into my bank account once the application was completed.

“I am very good at planning ahead and budgeting for uniforms or school shoes or normal shoes or just clothes and jackets, that kind of thing, so to receive that extra money was just a nice thing for the family and for us to spend time together.

“We received the payment during the summer holidays which was a great bonus, it let us have the opportunity to go away for a couple of family day trips to places like the safari park.”

During the course of the evaluation research, a recipient of Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment said: “I didn’t apply until after she was born because I just thought I’ll not get it.

“Because you do kind of think ‘och no I’m not going to, I’ll never get that’ and luckily when the baby was born I spoke to my friends a wee bit more and I was like ‘do you know what. I will’. What’s the harm? You pay your taxes all your life and work really hard so why shouldn’t you get something back?”

  • read the full interim evaluation report: Interim Evaluation of Best Start Grant
  • Interim Evaluation of Best Start Grant: Annex B: Qualitative Research 
  • parents and carers aged 18/19 do not need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit if they are dependent on someone else, i.e. they are named on their parent or carer’s benefit claim. Parents and carers under the age of 18 do not need to be on any payments or benefits to qualify for Best Start Grant
  • Best start Grant is three payments to help families at key stages in a child’s life 

Best Start Foods payment launched

Payment card replaces paper vouchers

Pregnant women and families with babies and children receiving certain benefits are to be offered increased access to healthy foods. The new Best Start Foods payment replaces the UK Government’s Healthy Start paper vouchers with a new payment card, and it’s now open for applications. Continue reading Best Start Foods payment launched