- Scotland
Best Start Grant
Three separate Social Security Scotland one-off payments (Pregnancy and Baby, Early Learning, School Age) for low-income Scottish families, plus the ongoing Best Start Foods prepaid card.
Overview
Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods are Scottish benefits administered by Social Security Scotland to help low-income families with children. Best Start Grant is made up of three separate one-off payments, each tied to a different stage in the child's life: the Pregnancy and Baby Payment (payable from 24 weeks of pregnancy to around 6 months after birth, at a higher rate for a first child and a lower rate for each later child), the Early Learning Payment (payable once between the ages of 2 and 3½), and the School Age Payment (payable in the year the child is first old enough to start primary school). Best Start Foods provides a weekly or fortnightly prepaid card that can be used for milk, first infant formula, fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables, and pulses, with amounts that vary by the child's age and by whether the family is still pregnant. Eligibility depends on the applicant (or their partner) receiving a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit, or Working Tax Credit; under-18s can qualify on age grounds alone if they are responsible for the child. The schemes replace the Sure Start Maternity Grant and the Healthy Start scheme for Scottish families. Individual eligibility is determined by Social Security Scotland. This page references figures and criteria from the primary mygov.scot source; the authoritative source for any individual award remains Social Security Scotland.
Applies in Scotland. Administered by Social Security Scotland. This page is general information; contact Social Security Scotland for your individual circumstances.
Rates
| Rate | Amount | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Start Foods — ages 1 to 3 | £22.40 | FOUR WEEKLY | [Scottish Government] |
| Best Start Foods — birth to age 1 | £44.80 | FOUR WEEKLY | [Scottish Government] |
| Best Start Foods — during pregnancy | £22.40 | FOUR WEEKLY | [Scottish Government] |
| Early Learning Payment | £331.95 | ONE OFF | [Scottish Government] |
| Pregnancy and Baby Payment — first child | £796.65 | ONE OFF | [Scottish Government] |
| Pregnancy and Baby Payment — later child | £398.35 | ONE OFF | [Scottish Government] |
| School Age Payment | £331.95 | ONE OFF | [Scottish Government] |
Eligibility criteria include
- RESIDENCEClaimant must live in Scotland. [Scottish Government]
- OTHERClaimant (or their partner) must be receiving one of the qualifying benefits: Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit. [Scottish Government]
- AGEClaimants under 18 can get payments without a qualifying benefit if they are responsible for the child. [Scottish Government]
- OTHERPregnancy and Baby Payment claim window runs from 24 weeks of pregnancy until the baby is 6 months old (or 1 year for kinship/guardianship carers). [Scottish Government]
- AGEEarly Learning Payment is payable only while the child is aged between 2 years and 3 years 6 months. [Scottish Government]
- OTHERSchool Age Payment is claimable only in the year the child is first old enough to start primary school; application windows run from 1 June to the end of February. [Scottish Government]
- OTHERPregnancy and Baby Payment cannot be claimed if the Sure Start Maternity Grant has already been awarded for the same baby. [Scottish Government]