Best Start Grant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Best Start Grant is a package of benefits in Scotland delivered by Social Security Scotland. Best Start Grant is made up of three payments: Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Early Learning Payment, and School Age Payment. Best Start Foods is also under the Best Start Grant umbrella. The benefits are aimed at providing parents or carers who receive certain benefits or tax credits with extra financial support during key stages of a child's life.
Social Security Scotland was established in April 2018 following the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018.[1] Social Security Scotland delivers certain areas of social security policy that was devolved to the Scottish Parliament after the Scotland Act 2016.
Pregnancy and Baby Payment
In December 2018, Pregnancy and Baby Payment replaced the Sure Start Maternity Grant in Scotland. The change also expanded the benefit and extended the eligibility of the benefit.
The payment is £707.25 for a first child and £353.65 for each child thereafter, with no limit on the number of children that can be claimed for. Parents can apply from 24 weeks of pregnancy up until the day the baby is 6 months old. This is extended to up to 1 year old if the responsibility for the child has changed, such as in cases of adoption or kinship care.[2]
Early Learning Payment
Early Learning Payment is a new payment with no UK equivalent that became available in April 2019. It is a payment of £294.70 to the parent or carer of a child who is between 2 and 3½ years old. The aim of the payment is to assist with the costs of early learning, such as nursery.
School Age Payment
School Age Payment is a new payment with no UK equivalent that became available in June 2019. It is a payment of £294.70. The aim of the payment is to help with the costs of a child entering school. Parents can apply for the payment around the time their child would normally start primary school. The eligibility window for payments is dependent upon the child's date of birth and applications need to be made within an exact time frame.
If a child was born between 1 March 2018 and 28 February 2019, parents need to apply for the payment between 1 June 2023 and 29 February 2024. If a child was born between 1 March 2019 and 29 February 2020, parents will need to apply next year, between 1 June 2024 and 28 February 2025.[3]