What is the Best Start Grant in Scotland?

Full answer

The Best Start Grant is a package of three separate one-off, non-repayable payments available only to eligible low-income families living in Scotland, delivered by Social Security Scotland rather than the DWP. It replaces the UK-wide Sure Start Maternity Grant (which still applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland) with a more comprehensive Scottish scheme. The three components are the Pregnancy and Baby Payment, for a new pregnancy or baby, generally larger for a first child than for subsequent children; the Early Learning Payment, when a child is around two to three years old, to help with the costs of nursery, toys, books and outdoor equipment; and the School Age Payment, around the time a child starts primary school, to help with the costs of starting school. Eligibility for all three generally requires the family to be receiving a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit (with a child), Income Support, Pension Credit or income-based JSA/ESA, though young parents under 18, or those with a Best Start Foods award, may qualify without needing a separate qualifying benefit. The Best Start Grant sits alongside Best Start Foods, a separate prepaid card scheme to help buy healthy food during pregnancy and a child's early years, both of which have no direct equivalent for families in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, making Scotland's early years financial support package noticeably broader than the rest of the UK.

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