Glossary · UK
What is Best Start Grant?
A package of three one-off Scottish payments helping lower-income families with the costs of a child's early years, from pregnancy to starting school.
Full Definition
The Best Start Grant is a devolved Scottish benefit, administered by Social Security Scotland, that provides three separate one-off cash payments to families on lower incomes during a child's early years. The Pregnancy and Baby Payment is made from 24 weeks of pregnancy until the baby is around six months old; the Early Learning Payment is available when the child is aged two to three and a half; and the School Age Payment is made in the year the child would normally start primary school. The payments are not loans, do not need repaying, and do not reduce other benefits. To qualify you (or your partner) usually need to be receiving a qualifying benefit such as Universal Credit, Child Tax Credit, Pension Credit or certain legacy benefits, though pregnant under-18s can apply regardless of benefit status. The grant is paid alongside Best Start Foods, a separate prepaid card for milk, fruit and vegetables. It applies only in Scotland: there is no equivalent in England (where the Sure Start Maternity Grant operates), Wales or Northern Ireland. Exact payment amounts are uprated periodically, so check mygov.scot for the current 2026/27 figures before applying.