Single Parent FAQs: Scottish benefits – Issue 35

Depending on your income, you may be able to apply for the Best Start Pregnancy and Baby Payment to help with the costs of pregnancy and having a new baby.

You will receive £754.65 from your 25th week of pregnancy to 6 months after the birth of your first child and £377.35 on the birth of any following children.

You can get the Best Start Grant if you receive any of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Child Tax Credit
• Working Tax Credit

All new-born babies in Scotland regardless of income will be given a free Baby Box containing useful items including:

• clothes, from new-born up to 6 months
• a digital ear thermometer
• a bath towel
• a changing mat
• books

The box has a mattress, mattress protector and a fitted sheet, and can be used for your baby to sleep in. Your midwife will help you register for it at your 18 -20 or 28 week antenatal appointment. You don’t need to do anything else. Your baby box will be delivered to your home between weeks 28 to 32 of your pregnancy.

More information on Best Start Grant and Baby Box.

Your daughter may qualify for the Young Carer Grant.

You may get a Young Carer Grant if you care for someone who is getting Personal Independence Payment daily living component, Disability Living Allowance or Child Disability Payment care component at middle or highest rate or Attendance Allowance.

Who can get a Young Carer Grant?

• You normally live in Scotland
• You are aged 16, 17 or 18
• You are not entitled to Carer’s Allowance on the day you claim
• You are caring for someone, or for more than one person, who has a disability or illness
• You are providing care for at least 16 hours a week on average
• No-one else has received a Young Carer Grant in respect of the person you care for in the last year.

Care means being involved in an activity to promote the physical, mental or emotional wellbeing of the person, or people, you are caring for. If you care for more than one person, the number of hours you provide care can be added together. You must not be providing this care under a contract or voluntarily.

How much is it?

The Young Carer Grant is paid once a year and is £383.75.  You can only get three grants in total.

How to apply

You can download a paper application form or apply for the young carer grant online at

www.mygov.scot or by calling Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.

The Scottish Child Payment is only paid until your children reach the age of 16, unlike some other benefits. Your twins may be able to apply for the Educational Maintenance Allowance depending on your income

Education Maintenance Allowance is £30 a week.

It is paid every 2 weeks in arears, during term time, into your child’s bank account.

More information on Education Maintenance Allowance.

Funeral Support Payment is money to help pay for the costs of a funeral or cremation. It can help pay for the cost of the funeral of an adult, a child or a still born baby born after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

To get Funeral Support Payment, the person who died must have lived in the UK and the funeral must take place, or have taken place, in the UK. In some circumstances you can get a payment if the funeral takes place, or has taken place in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

You need to be living in Scotland and responsible for paying for the funeral of the person who has died, so they will usually be a close relative. If you are not related to the person who has died, you will have to show why you are responsible for the costs.

You must also be receiving one of the following benefits:

• Child Tax Credit
• Universal Credit (UC)
• Income Support
• Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credit (disability or severe disability element)
• Housing Benefit
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), not contribution-based JSA
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), not contribution-based ESA

How much is it?

The Funeral Support Payment can help with the costs of the funeral or cremation, some travel costs and the cost of any documents needed. The amount you get will depend on you circumstances.

Any insurance policies, money or assets the person who died left, will affect the payment you get. Costs met by the NHS or council will also reduce the payment. It does not affect any other benefits you are getting and is not counted for the Benefit Cap.

The average payment is around £1700 which could be much less than the actual cost of the funeral.

How it is paid

The payment can be made to you or directly to the funeral director.

How to apply

You can apply for Funeral Support Payment after the death has been registered and for up to 6 months after the person has died. You can apply even if you have already paid for the funeral.

Apply online or by phone.

Apply online for Funeral Support Payment here.

To apply by phone call Social Security Scotland: 0800 182 2222

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on a particular date. In Scotland, Carer’s Allowance is being replaced by the Carer Support Payment.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid twice a year.

The next payment will be £288.60 from 6 December 2024. You’ll get this payment if you’re getting Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on 7 October 2024.

If you’re due to get a payment, you will get a letter from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made.

If you do not get a letter or payment by 16 December 2024, contact Social Security Scotland

Child Disability Payment is a new benefit from the Scottish Government. It is given to help with the extra costs of caring for a child, or young person up to the age of 18 with a disability or long-term ill-heath condition. It replaced Disability Living Allowance on 22 November 2021 for children living in Scotland.

To be eligible, your child must meet the following conditions:

• be living in Scotland and
• be under 16 when you apply (but can continue to receive it until they are 18)
• need help with their personal care because of their physical or mental disability or illness and/or
• need help when moving around because of their physical or mental disability or illness and
• have had their disability or illness for 3 months before you apply and be expected to have it for at least 6 months after.

Get in touch with us and we can do a benefit check for you to see what benefits you are entitled to.

More information and how to apply for Child Disability Benefit.

If you are unhappy with the decision on your application for Adult Disability Payment, you can ask for a ‘redetermination’. Say why you think the decision is wrong and give any further evidence you have to support this. You have 6 weeks from when you receive the decision to ask Social Security Scotland for a redetermination. Social security Scotland will get back to you within 8 weeks.

If you are not happy with the result of the redetermination, you can appeal.

Details of how to ask for a redetermination, or to appeal, will be sent with your Adult Disability Payment decision letter. You can ask for help with this from Social Security Scotland, a Welfare Rights Officer from the council or a worker from your local Citizens Advice Bureau.