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.
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 £600 for a first child and £300 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.
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 £250 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 £250. 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 2014 and 28 February 2015, parents needed to apply for the payment between 3 June 2019 and 29 February 2020. If a child was born 1 March 2015 and 29 February 2016, parents now need to apply between 1 June 2020 and 28 February 2021 to be eligible for the payment.
Best Start Foods
Best Start Foods replaced the UK Healthy Start on 12 August 2019. Like Pregnancy and Baby Payment, the new benefit was expanded and the eligibility was extended. All pregnant women under the age of 18 and pregnant women receiving certain benefits can apply for Best Start Foods. The payment is £4.25 per week for each child until the child reaches 3 years old. If the child is below the age of 1, the payment is £8.50 per week. The Scottish Government has expanded the foods that families can purchase through the Best Start Foods payment, including; eggs, fruit, vegetables, pulses and milk. The Scottish Government replaced the paper vouchers with a new smartcard system. Under this system, smartcards will be pre-loaded every four weeks, with families using them having more control over the value they spend.
Eligibility
To be eligible for any of the Best Start Grant payments, parents or carers need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:
People under 18 years old do not need to receive a benefit to be eligible for Best Start Grant. Similarly, people who are 18 or 19 years old who do not receive any benefits can be eligible if they are listed on their parent or carer's Child Tax Credit, Child Benefit, or Universal Credit child payment award.
