Benefits for Families with Children
Families with children may be able to claim a range of financial benefits designed to help with everyday living costs, childcare, and raising young people. These benefits can support parents whether they are working, looking for work, or caring for a child with additional needs. Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for help with monthly child-related payments, or extra support if your household income is lower.
Our goal is to make it easy for families to understand what they are entitled to and how to apply. By checking your eligibility, you can ensure your family receives the support it needs to thrive.
Scottish Child Payment
AScottish Child Payment helps towards the costs of supporting your family. It’s a weekly payment that you can get for every child you look after who’s under 16 years of age. You’ll get the payment every 4 weeks if your application is successful.
Scottish Child Payment is one of the 5 family payments you may be able to get from Social Security Scotland, along with Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods.
It’s up to you what you choose to spend the money on.
Scottish Child Payment does not affect any other UK or Scottish Government benefits that you, or any person in your household, currently get.
Only one person can get Scottish Child Payment for a child. This means, if 2 people apply for the same child, Social Security Scotland have a process of deciding who gets the payment. This is called a double claim. The process depends on the benefits that you and the other person are getting.
https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment
Best Start Grants
Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods are payments that help towards the costs of being pregnant or looking after a child.
These are one-off or recurring payments to help with costs around pregnancy and early childhood:
Best Start Grant – Pregnancy & Baby Payment: From 24 weeks pregnant up until the baby is 6 months old. Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot
Best Start Foods: A prepaid card to help buy healthy food when you’re pregnant, or for children up to age 3. Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot
Best Start Grant – Early Learning Payment: One-off payment when a child is between 2 and 3.5 years old. Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot
Best Start Grant – School Age Payment: A payment when your child starts primary school. Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods – mygov.scot
Child Benefit
A universal UK benefit paid to people responsible for a child.
It doesn’t count as a “qualifying benefit” for Scottish Child Payment on its own — you usually need to also be receiving another benefit. https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit
Clothing Grants/Free School Meals
GCC are providing funding to support eligible families over the October break for children and young people who are in receipt of Free School Meals P1 to S6. The payment for each child will be £12.50
If you are currently in receipt of Free School Meals you will automatically receive the payment directly into your account if you are still eligible and meet the criteria below – you DO NOT need to contact GCC or make a new application.
All P1 to P7 pupils receive the universal meal at school, however only the families eligible on financial grounds will receive this additional payment.
https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/schoolsandlearning
Child Disability Payment.
There are specific payments if a child has a long-term health condition or disability.
https://www.mygov.scot/child-disability-payment
Please call us on 01417735850 for any assistance on the above Benefits
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
EMA is available to eligible people aged 16 to 19 who have reached school leaving age.
You need to meet the criteria for residency, household income and education status to qualify for EMA.
Residency
You’ll normally need to have been ordinarily resident in Scotland when you apply for EMA. You’ll also need to have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the 3 years before you apply.
There are some exceptions to the normal residency criteria that may allow you to get EMA. Your local council or college can help you find out if you’re able to get it.
Household income
Household income is the income of your parents or carers who live with you.
To get EMA, your household income must be:
- £24,421 or less for households with only one dependent child
- £26,884 or less for households with more than one dependent child
- Dependent children are those up to the age of 16
- between the age of 16 and 25 in full time further or higher education.
Education
You can only get EMA if you’re:
- attending school full time
- getting home education or flexi schooling
- on a full or part-time non-advanced course in a college or education centre
- taking part in an action plan (previously known as an activity agreement) with your local council
- You can only get EMA if you’re on a non-advanced course. If you’re not sure if your course qualifies as non-advanced, you should speak to your school or college.
