Single Parent FAQs: Social Security Scotland

Social Security Scotland is replacing some of the UK current benefits and creating new benefits to help reduce poverty in Scotland.

Your friend will be receiving the Scottish Child Payment which is a payment of £10 per week for eligible families with a child under the age of 6, this is paid on a 4-week basis so £40 every 4 weeks.

The Scottish Child payment is being rolled out to families with children aged between 6 and 16 by the end of 2022, it was also announced that this benefit is going to double to £20 per week from April 2022.

More info and how to apply can be found here.

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-health condition. It is replacing Disability living allowance for children living in Scotland, therefore you can apply for this until your son reaches 18.

See more information and how to apply here.

The Scottish Government has introduced a new grant to help with the costs of a new baby called the Best Start Grant. This has replaced the Sure Start Maternity Grant that is no longer available in Scotland.

The Best Start Grant includes 3 different grants:

• The pregnancy and baby payment – to help with the costs of pregnancy or having a new baby. Families will receive £606 from 25th week of pregnancy to 6 months after the birth of their first child and £303 on the birth of any following children.
• The early learning grant – a payment of £252.50 when your child starts nursery. If you did not get the pregnancy and baby payment you can still apply for this part.
• The school age grant – a further payment of £252.50 to help with the additional costs when your child starts school.

See here for more information and to see if you are eligible.

Your daughter would be entitled to claim Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £308.15 for young carer’s in Scotland.

To be able to get Young Carer Grant, you must be 16, 17 or 18 years old and also caring for 1,2, or 3 people on average over 16 hour per week for 3 months.

More info and how to apply.

Child Winter Heating Assistance is a benefit from the Scottish Government. It was first paid in 2020. It’s a payment to help disabled children and young people and their families with increased heating costs over winter. It’s paid once a year. The payment for winter 2021-2022 is £202. Payments are usually made from the end of November onwards.

More information can be found here.

Funeral Support Payment helps pay for funeral costs if you live in Scotland if you are on a low income. You can use the payment towards funeral costs for a baby, child or adult. This includes babies who were stillborn.

It usually will not cover the full cost of the funeral, but it should help pay for some costs. It can be paid either to you or the funeral director who’s helping you plan the funeral.

Only one person can get Funeral Support Payment for the funeral.

Funeral Support Payment will not usually cover the full cost of a funeral. The average total payment is £1,700, but the amount you get will depend on several factors.

More info and to apply.

Have your circumstances changed recently? If your income has changed you may longer be entitled or has your child turned 6, once your child turns 6 it stops and then you can reapply next year when applications open for 6–16-year old’s.

More info can be found here.