Tag: Children and Families

Financial help for starting primary school

Applications open for Best Start Grant School Age Payment

Families across Scotland can now apply for over £330 to help with the costs of preparing for primary school, as applications for Best Start Grant School Age Payment open today (1 June 2026).

The payment, unique to Scotland, is available to eligible families with children born between 1 March 2021 and 28 February 2022. It is designed to ease the financial pressures that come with a child starting primary one and can be spent on anything families need – from clothes and stationery to school trips.

Whether a family can receive the payment depends on the child’s age and when they are first old enough to start primary school, typically between 4 and 5 years.

Importantly, families do not need to wait until their child starts school to apply. Those who are deferring their child’s start date, or whose child will not be attending school, are still eligible and must apply before applications close on 28 February 2027.

Families receiving Scottish Child Payment who are eligible for School Age Payment should get an automated payment and do not need to apply.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Starting school is a landmark moment in a child’s life, but sadly it can also put real financial pressure on families. That’s why we introduced the Best Start Grant School Age Payment – to help ensure that every child in Scotland can begin their school journey with what they need, regardless of their family’s circumstances.

“This support is a vital part of our wider commitment to eradicating child poverty, making sure help reaches families at key moments in a child’s life.”

Sara Spencer, Cost of the School Day Project Manager said: “We know from our work with children and families that starting school adds real pressure to already stretched family finances. That’s why it’s really important that families apply for the financial support, like the School Age Payment, that they are entitled to.”

School Age Payment is a payment of £331.95 per child. Applications for children born between 1 March 2021 and 28 February 2022 are open from 1 June 2026 to 28 February 2027.

To get Best Start Grant School Age Payment the person applying will normally need to be receiving one of the following payments: Universal Credit, Housing Benefit, Income Support, Pension Credit, income-based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Families have until 28 February 2027 to submit their application. The payment is also open to kinship carers and adoptive parents who meet the eligibility criteria.

Parents and carers can apply for multiple children, provided each child falls within the eligible age range at the time of application. Social Security Scotland will usually make the payment once per child, although additional payments may be made in certain circumstances — for example, if a child moves to live with a different kinship carer or adoptive parent within the same application window.

Full eligibility details and how to apply visit Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot

PY’s Chat & Chill Cafe’s Back!

☀️ Hello June… and welcome back Chat & Chill Café! ☕

As we kick off a new month, we’re delighted to welcome everyone from our local community back to our Chat & Chill Café for three relaxed get-togethers this June:

📅 Thursday 4th June

📅 Thursday 11th June

📅 Thursday 18th June

🕛 12:00 – 1:30pm

Come along, grab some free lunch, enjoy a cuppa and have a good old catch-up with neighbours or even meet some new friends! 😊

You don’t have to have children coming to PYCP.

Whether you fancy a chat, a laugh, or just a warm, welcoming space, you’ll find it here. Everyone is welcome! 💜

A wee note for families:

We don’t have a crèche available so children under 5 are very welcome but must be supervised by a parent or carer at all times.

We’d love to see you there ☕✨

Please share with family and friends.

New parents urged to claim Child Benefit for their baby now

  • 6.8 million families are claiming Child Benefit.
  • More than 30% of new parents are missing out on payments by not claiming in their baby’s first year.
  • Parents urged to claim via the HMRC app to ensure they get their payment as quickly as possible.

One in three new parents are missing out on Child Benefit payments in their baby’s first year, new figures reveal.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging parents who welcomed a baby this Spring to claim now via the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK.

While more than 6.8 million parents received Child Benefit in the year to August 2025, only 68.8% of them claimed the crucial government support before their baby’s first birthday. 

More than 140,000 babies were born between April and June last year and while many parents are enjoying new beginnings this Spring, the latest statistics show thousands of families could be missing out on much-needed cash by delaying their claim.

Child Benefit is worth £27.05 per week – or £1,406.60 a year – for the eldest or only child and £17.90 per week – or £930.80 a year – for each additional child, with no limit as to how many children parents can claim for. 

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said: “Spring is a wonderful time to welcome a baby and claiming Child Benefit as soon as possible means your family can benefit from much-needed financial support. 

“It is quick and easy to claim Child Benefit via the HMRC app at a time that suits you.” 

Child Benefit can be claimed 48 hours after the baby’s birth is registered but can only be backdated for up to 3 months from the date HMRC receives the claim, meaning thousands of families are not getting what they’re entitled to receive.

Parents can access their Child Benefit account quickly and easily via the HMRC app. 

In a recent survey, half of parents with children under the age of 18 said that they would like to be able to conduct all of their tax matters digitally.

To make a new claim for Child Benefit, parents can create an online HMRC account and will need: 

  • child’s birth or adoption certificate
  • bank details
  • National Insurance number for themselves and their partner, if they have one
  • child’s original birth or adoption certificate and passport or travel document, for children born outside the UK.

HMRC has released a YouTube video explaining how parents can make a claim, with payments usually paid every 4 weeks automatically into a bank account. 

If a claimant or their partner has an income of more than £60,000 a year, they will be liable to pay the High-Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC), with more information including about how to pay on the HICBC PAYE digital service on GOV.UK.

2026 Summer of Sport launches in Edinburgh

AN £18 million Scottish Government investment will give young people the chance to get involved in different sporting activities on their doorstep.

The Council, working in partnership with sportscotland, has secured funding from the national initiative to provide free and low-cost opportunities for young people locally as part of the national agency’s 2026 Summer of Sport.

The £18 million initiative, funded by the Scottish Government and facilitated by sportscotland, will offer young people aged three to 26 the opportunity to get active and maybe try something new.

This summer, it’s game on, and the 2026 Summer of Sport is a unique opportunity for communities across Scotland to embrace the excitement of sport, inspired by the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, both of which will showcase Scotland on the global stage and inspire young people to take part, get active and begin their own journey in sport and activity.

With activities running throughout the summer and beyond, young people in Edinburgh will have access to a range of free and low-cost sport and physical activity opportunities, helping remove barriers to participation and ensure more young people have the chance to get involved.

The Council will work with colleagues and a network of partners, including Edinburgh Leisure, The University of Edinburgh, Scottish Student Sport, NHS, local sports clubs and local community organisations to ensure these opportunities are available to young people, regardless of background.

The funding will enable the delivery of activities designed to help young people develop healthy habits, build stronger social connections, and foster a lifelong love of movement.

Culture and Communities Convener Margaret Graham said: “We’re proud to support the 2026 Summer of Sport and are excited for the accessible activity opportunities it will create for young people in Edinburgh.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to try something new, get active, and experience the joy of physical activity and sport. We will work with colleagues and partners to make these opportunities available to young people across Edinburgh, regardless of background.”

Education, Children and Families Convenor James Dalgleish said: “With the school summer holidays fast approaching, this funding will make it possible for even more children across the city to take part in, and maybe even have a go, at a new sport for the first time.

“We are committed to levelling the playing field for all children and young people in Edinburgh and we know that sport can play a crucial role in supporting that.

“The benefits of being active are widely known and the range of activities on offer will hopefully encourage young people to get out, get active and as a result benefit from better social connection, camaraderie, alongside health benefits.

Chief Executive of sportscotland, Forbes Dunlop, said: “At sportscotland, we believe that sport has the power to strengthen communities and change lives.

“The 2026 Summer of Sport campaign, made possible by Scottish Government investment, is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared ambition to make sport more inclusive and accessible.

“We’re proud to play our part in helping more young people enjoy the benefits of being active as we celebrate a fantastic summer of sport.”

Through these investments, the Council is working to ensure that the 2026 Summer of Sport positively influences as many young people as possible, fostering engagement in sport and outdoor activities across all communities.

To find out more about the 2026 Summer of Sport, visit: 

sportscotland.org.uk/2026 and www.edinburgh.gov.uk/summerofsport

Over 321,000 children getting vital support

Scottish Child Payment key to eradicating child poverty

Across Scotland, 321,885 children are benefiting from Scottish Child Payment as of March 2026, according to newly published statistics. 

Launched in February 2021, the Scotland-only benefit is a weekly payment of £28.20, paid every four weeks to every eligible child under 16 within a household.

Scottish Child Payment is expected to keep 50,000 children out of relative poverty in 2026–27. This underlines the critical role that Scottish Child Payment plays in eradicating child poverty in Scotland.

Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “Eradicating child poverty and supporting families with the cost of living is a key focus for this government.

“It’s clear that the Scottish Child Payment is making a major difference to families which is why we will now go further by increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 per week for families with children under the age of one.  

We remain fully committed to doing everything we can to support families and give every child the best possible start in life. Scottish Child Payment remains central to that mission.”

Scottish Child Payment statistics to 31 March 2026: Scottish Child Payment statistics to 31 March 2026 – Social Security Scotland 

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service: Water Safety Warning

It’s important to talk to children and young people about their safety around water. Have a conversation about it today and explain:

• They should never swim in an unsupervised area like lochs, rivers, sea or ponds where there isn’t an adult to help if they get into trouble

• It’s much safer to go to a swimming pool where there’s a lifeguard on duty

• They shouldn’t play with or touch lifesaving equipment like life rings by the side of waterways. That equipment might be used to save someone’s life.

Download our leaflet now: https://rb.gy/oc79bl

More info: https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/outdoors/water-safety/

Edinburgh carers receive welcome boost in fostering pay

This Foster Care Fortnight (11–24 May 2026), the Council is celebrating a significant restructuring of its foster care pay system which has meant an uplift in fees for foster carers in the city.

Over the last year, considerable work to review the structure and fees paid to foster carers has been carried out. This included significant engagement with current foster carers to listen and take on board their views. The new fostering fee structure and payment levels were agreed in the Council’s annual budget setting process for 2026/27.

Changes include moving to a single fee model and a move away from payment based on the age of the child. The carers fees for younger age groups has been uplifted in line with older age groups with a new single fee model rising to £307.50 per week. For those caring for under 12s this is an increase of around 60%.

Specialist fostering fees, including for those who care for a child with a disability, will rise to £490.06 per week and continuing care fees will increase to £307.50 per week.

Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener said: It is important that those who choose to foster children in Edinburgh are properly supported in the vital work they do. I am pleased that we have agreed to put in place a new structure and to increase pay for foster carers – recognising the valuable role they play in our city.

“It is understandable that potential carers may hesitate because they worry about the financial impact on their household. We want fostering with Edinburgh to be financially sustainable, particularly in the current economic climate when we know that many households are facing cost of living pressures.

“I hope that this added financial support will help to encourage anyone who was considering becoming a foster carer to take the leap.”

In addition to the professional fee, foster carers receive an age-related payment, the Scottish Recommended Allowance (SRA), towards the cost of caring for a child. An increase of 3.8% this year aligns with Scotland’s Promise, a national commitment to support foster carers and the children and young people living with them, to enable them to thrive.

It is also part of a broader effort to reduce the financial pressure on families looking after vulnerable children.

Foster with Edinburgh carers can receive from £485.20 to £696.78 a week to foster a child under 16 depending on the placement type and needs and age of the child. Annually, that’s between £25,230.40 and £36,232.56 to foster one child.

Find more about fostering and fostering finances online, or by attending one of the regular Foster with Edinburgh virtual or face-to-face drop-in sessions

Fungi Fun for Kids at Granton Castle Walled Garden!

MycoKids with Vii 🍄

Friday 29 May, 2-3 pm at Granton Castle Walled Garden

Join Vii from MycoBee Mushrooms CIC for a fun and hands-on introduction to the fascinating world of fungi. This family-friendly session is designed for children and parents to explore nature together through engaging, outdoor activities.

At MycoKids, you’ll discover the hidden world of fungi and learn why they are so important for our ecosystems; all in a playful and accessible way.

Book your space: https://www.mycobee.org/…/mycokids-fungi-fun-for-kids…

PLEASE NOTE: All children must be accompanied by an adult guardian.

PM: Government ‘turning progress into results for working people’

Keir Starmer has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future. But does anyone believe him?

  •  PM says “our plan is working” as government delivers results on costs, migration control and growth 
  • Net migration down sharply to its lowest since 2021, inflation down faster than expected to 2.8%, and UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first quarter of the year  
  • “Great British Summer Savings” to help families afford more time together this summer 

The Prime Minister has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future.  

Recent figures show the plan is working: 

  • Net migration has fallen by almost three quarters to its lowest level since 2021. 
  • Inflation has dropped faster than expected to 2.8%. 
  • The UK is the fastest growing economy in the G7, with growth beating expectations at 0.6% in the first quarter. 

Together, this progress is strengthening the UK’s resilience in an uncertain world – easing immediate pressures on families while putting the economy on a more stable footing for the long term. 

That progress is being felt more widely across the country, as the government rebuilds the public services working people rely on: 

  • Homicide is at its lowest levels since the 1970s, knife crime is down by 10%, and we have taken more than 63,000 knives off our streets. 
  • NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level for three and a half years, with the largest single month performance improvement in 17 years.
  • There are 4,000 additional teachers across secondary schools, special schools and further education. 

With families still feeling the squeeze – and global instability continuing to drive uncertainty – the government is going further to help households with the cost of living, so people can enjoy the everyday moments that make life better. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We now have the fastest growing economy in the G7, net migration has fallen, and NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level in three and a half years.  

“Our plan is working. And as summer begins, we are going further to bring down the cost of living and make life easier for families, so they have more room to enjoy it. 

“This government will keep pushing forward to deliver the change the country voted for.” 

Building on that progress, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have acted to ease pressure on families, announcing further cost of living support including VAT cuts on hospitality, free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 in England throughout August, and targeted tariff reductions to bring down the price of everyday essentials. Together, these measures will help families go further while supporting high streets and local businesses. 

That action is being underpinned by growing economic strength. GDP has increased every quarter since 2024, forecasts have been exceeded in the first quarter of this year, and the IMF has upgraded the UK’s growth outlook – all clear signs that economic stability is returning and resilience is being rebuilt. 

The government is also driving that resilience by backing businesses to invest and expand, including a landmark trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first such deal by a G7 country – and new legislation to give small firms stronger protection from late payments and the certainty they need to grow.

This comes alongside action to make work pay and back working people – with the National Living Wage increased, 30 hours of funded childcare delivering savings of up to £8,000 per child each year, and stronger rights for 11 million renters through the Renters’ Rights Act. 

At the same time, the government is restoring control and strengthening security – closing more than half of asylum hotels and taking further action to tackle the criminality that undermines communities. 

Alongside this, the government is rewiring the state to support delivery, with a delivery team in every department, led by a senior civil servant, and performance incentives strengthened so that senior leaders are rewarded for driving results. 

This week, the government confirmed senior civil servants’ pay rises will be directly linked to performance to reward the doers, not the talkers. As a package, this is the biggest change to senior civil pay in decades. 

This is a government taking a different path – not returning to a status quo that failed working people, but building a stronger, fairer Britain. 

From lowering costs and backing families to restoring control and driving growth, the government is delivering the security and stability people expect – and laying the foundations for long-term change.

SECURITY? Peter Mandelson scandal

STABILITY? Internal civil war forcing unneccesary by-election